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Spooky survived Parvo! Wouldn’t it be great if there was a vaccine that could prevent Parvo? There is – and Spooky had all three recommended shots right on schedule. Sometimes the vaccine just doesn’t work. Here’s what happens when it doesn’t.
A sweet, people-loving and beautiful Great Dane, Spooky was diagnosed with the highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease Parvo on April 26, 2015 – a week before his first birthday. It was about 3:00 AM on Sunday morning – the most expensive time for a pet emergency – when Dr. Cavanagh at Animal Emergency Center in Studio City gave us the news. He explained that Parvo attacks the rapidly dividing cells in the body, namely the gastro-intestinal tract and the bone marrow. Dr. Cavanagh was so surprised that he performed the Parvo test twice. There’s no cure but with supportive care, Spooky could survive.
Spooky spent the rest of the night at Animal Emergency Center, but they close at 8:00 AM. So, with the IV catheter still in his leg, we had to take him back to our regular vet, Aloro Pet Clinic. He spent the day there, on the IV, unable to eat or drink water. Unfortunately, Aloro closes at 6:00 PM and Spooky needed 24-hour care.
We took Spooky to Animal Specialty Group in Glendale, where they were ready for us. He was taken to a special room they set up for him – he’s too big for a regular kennel. He spent the rest of the week in quarantine with a feeding tube in his nose and the IV in his leg. The vets and techs had to put on gowns, booties and gloves every time they entered the room. Twice a day for the next week, the vet on duty would call with a progress report. Day after day, the same report: Spooky is okay, but he’s not eating or drinking. Each day was another $1000.00 for his care. We missed his big furry face.
Then, on Saturday, his birthday, the news was a little better: He drank a little water. He licked at the spoon of dog food. One more day….
Sunday, May 3, brought the best news. Spooky was hungry! He was released that afternoon. His feet were swollen from the IV and inactivity, but he was glad to be home. He ate, took a nap, got up to bark with Monkey when a dog walked by, then brought his human squeaky toy and wanted to play.
Even though he has recovered, Spooky is still under quarantine. He has to wait a full two weeks before he can take his human for a walk. Talk about cabin fever!
The costs of saving Spooky snowballed on us. His youth made every decision difficult. We’re thrilled to have him back, but now we’re struggling. Any help is appreciated. If you have a dog, please make sure all shots are up to date, especially Parvo. Remember, most of the time, for most dogs, they work. The concept of herd immunity applies to dogs as well as humans.
PARVO FACTS: Parvo is highly contagious disease. It is spread in feces and can persist in the environment for up to a year. It can be brought into your yard by rodents and insects. Puppies and young dogs are particularly vulnerable. Puppies should be kept at home until fully vaccinated. (Spooky only walked in his own neighborhood. He hasn’t gone to dog parks.) This is an expensive disease!
Thank you.
We are grateful to the doctors and techs at:
Animal Specialty Group www.asgvets.com
Animal Emergency Centre www.valleypet911.com
Aloro Pet Clinic www.aloropetclinic.com
More pictures of Spooky at www.facebook.com/supportspooky
A sweet, people-loving and beautiful Great Dane, Spooky was diagnosed with the highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease Parvo on April 26, 2015 – a week before his first birthday. It was about 3:00 AM on Sunday morning – the most expensive time for a pet emergency – when Dr. Cavanagh at Animal Emergency Center in Studio City gave us the news. He explained that Parvo attacks the rapidly dividing cells in the body, namely the gastro-intestinal tract and the bone marrow. Dr. Cavanagh was so surprised that he performed the Parvo test twice. There’s no cure but with supportive care, Spooky could survive.
Spooky spent the rest of the night at Animal Emergency Center, but they close at 8:00 AM. So, with the IV catheter still in his leg, we had to take him back to our regular vet, Aloro Pet Clinic. He spent the day there, on the IV, unable to eat or drink water. Unfortunately, Aloro closes at 6:00 PM and Spooky needed 24-hour care.
We took Spooky to Animal Specialty Group in Glendale, where they were ready for us. He was taken to a special room they set up for him – he’s too big for a regular kennel. He spent the rest of the week in quarantine with a feeding tube in his nose and the IV in his leg. The vets and techs had to put on gowns, booties and gloves every time they entered the room. Twice a day for the next week, the vet on duty would call with a progress report. Day after day, the same report: Spooky is okay, but he’s not eating or drinking. Each day was another $1000.00 for his care. We missed his big furry face.
Then, on Saturday, his birthday, the news was a little better: He drank a little water. He licked at the spoon of dog food. One more day….
Sunday, May 3, brought the best news. Spooky was hungry! He was released that afternoon. His feet were swollen from the IV and inactivity, but he was glad to be home. He ate, took a nap, got up to bark with Monkey when a dog walked by, then brought his human squeaky toy and wanted to play.
Even though he has recovered, Spooky is still under quarantine. He has to wait a full two weeks before he can take his human for a walk. Talk about cabin fever!
The costs of saving Spooky snowballed on us. His youth made every decision difficult. We’re thrilled to have him back, but now we’re struggling. Any help is appreciated. If you have a dog, please make sure all shots are up to date, especially Parvo. Remember, most of the time, for most dogs, they work. The concept of herd immunity applies to dogs as well as humans.
PARVO FACTS: Parvo is highly contagious disease. It is spread in feces and can persist in the environment for up to a year. It can be brought into your yard by rodents and insects. Puppies and young dogs are particularly vulnerable. Puppies should be kept at home until fully vaccinated. (Spooky only walked in his own neighborhood. He hasn’t gone to dog parks.) This is an expensive disease!
Thank you.
We are grateful to the doctors and techs at:
Animal Specialty Group www.asgvets.com
Animal Emergency Centre www.valleypet911.com
Aloro Pet Clinic www.aloropetclinic.com
More pictures of Spooky at www.facebook.com/supportspooky