My dog has diarrhea and isn't eating. Can I test for parvo at home?

Hi there! Sorry to hear that Saiko is not feeling well. The clinical signs you describe are concerning when they occur in a puppy as they can be seen with serious gastrointestinal infections such as Parvovirus. Other possibilities include intestinal worms and dietary indiscretion, among other possibilities. The sooner these conditions are treated the better the outcome tends to be. These types of conditions should not be treated at home. Raw egg does not prevent parvovirus. For this reason, I recommend that you have Saiko evaluated by your veterinarian to check for these possibilities and to start therapy based on findings. At the very least they can address dehydration if present and start him on anti-nausea medications. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for your boy!

Hello. If you are concerned about parvo, blood may not appear in the diarrhea for another day or so. If he continues to have vomiting & diarrhea, Justice will become dehydrated & this will make him very, very weak. If he is not feeling better tomorrow, you really should consider having him evaluated in case he does need treatment to get well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It would be worth to go to the hospital with Rocko's favourite food and see if he will eat for you. If so, your vets are likely to let you take him home. It does happen that some dogs will refuse to eat hospital food but they will go for their favourite treats when offered by the owners. Many puppies with parvo are fed via a stomach tube while in the hospital. If this is the case with Rocko, you can ask your vet to send your puppy home with the tube in. Then, you could feed your puppy through the tube at home (it is straight forward). Lastly, syringe feeding of special recovery food can be done at home as well, so with some instructions from your vet you should be able to feed Rocko yourself.

Usually dogs with parvovirus or distemper are very lethargic and ill. If your dog is eating and drinking fine and has lots of energy then I don’t think the diarrhea is from either of those diseases. I do recommend a fecal exam soon, perhaps you can drop one off before your appointment to check for intestinal parasites that could cause diarrhea. Also I would monitor what she’s eating and check to make sure she’s not getting into things she shouldn’t in the yard. She’s a puppy and they love to eat anything! Should she become lethargic, stop eating or the diarrhea worsens then don’t wait, take her in to a veterinarian right away for treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your dog.

Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. Supportive care (IV or subcutaneous fluids, anti-emetics, anti-diarrheals and parenteral nutrition) may be indicated until a diagnosis is reached or until your pup recovers.

If Wisky is unvaccinated, the clinical signs you are reporting are consistent with Parvo, though they are also consistent with many other possibilities. Parvo typically manifests in younger dogs (under six months), but we do see it more rarely in dogs greater than one year, particularly those who were never previously vaccinated during their puppyhood. While he is continuing to eat and drink, I have to wonder how much nutrition he is able to keep down if he is continuing to vomit and have diarrhea. If you are unable to get to a vet, you can certainly try fasting for 12 - 24 hours, then feeding a bland diet of boiled chicken / hamburger and rice for 3-5 days. You can also utilize certain over the count anti-diarrheal and antacids, though finding a dose that is small enough for Wisky may prove difficult. All and all, if these clinical signs continue or worsen, I would strongly advise finding a way to get him into the veterinarian. Small dogs dehydrate quickly if they are vomiting and can also become hypoglycemic. The consequences of those two conditions together can have a disastrous outcome. There are options for at-need clients including services that provide credit or funding. Care credit, scratch pay, and private good samaritan funding would be the best places to start. Hope this helps.

Being so young with those symptoms you do need to worry about parvo. This is a contagious virus that typically requires hospitalization. The only thing you can do at home is try to keep fluids in him to maintain hydration. You can use chicken broth, Gatorade or pedialyte. You can try feeding boiled chicken and rice. They do make a probiotic for dogs you can get at a pet store that can help with diarrhea. If he has not been dewormed you can also purchase that at a pet store to treat him for that in case he has those also.