My dog was exposed to Parvo. Can I bring him home to my other dogs?

I'm so glad that Hudson has recovered from Parvo. Unfortunately, Parvovirus can survive in the environment for a prolonged period of time. I am attaching a handout below with specifics about disinfection. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=579&SourceID= The inside of your house is considered infected for about a month, but the yard can be considered infected for many months, so I would not recommend any dogs coming to your house unless they are fully vaccinated. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

The breeder is correct that Edith should avoid contact with other dogs if you do not know their vaccination status, but she can have contact with dogs who are fully vaccinated. Parvovirus can be carried a person's shoes and clothes, which is why the breeder implied avoiding contact with people who have dogs. That being said, as long as the dogs at the home where your father is staying are fully vaccinated, there is no problem with him coming to see you :-)

If your dog is fully vaccinated for parvo and the puppy is healthy with no abnormal signs then parvo should not be a issue. I am also assuming that your puppy has started his vaccinations, as well. If the puppy has a history of having parvo or has been exposed to parvo then you may want to delay the introduction, especially if your dog is not up to date on vaccines.

No, it is not necessarily safe to go home and handle your animals if you were handling the one infected with Parvo. For instance, in a hospital setting, Parvo infected animals are kept completely isolated from the others and anyone that is handling them has to wear special bioprotective gear to prevent spread of disease. I would recommend that you change out of anything you were wearing that could have come in contact with the dog or the dog's belongings, and clean yourself off thoroughly with a bleach product. The Parvo virus will not be killed by regular antibacterial soap, which is the reason that bleach is the best thing to use in the absence of a veterinary cleaner which the average person does not possess in their home. Hope this helps!

I would not recommend to get the puppy who did not get Parvo. It’s possible that he may still break with this highly contagious virus. For the puppy that survived Parvo, he will likely be fine. Long term, most dogs experience no organ damage or side effects. This puppy is still shedding the Parvo virus and will continue to shed the virus for 6 months in it’s feces. The virus will live for roughly 1 year in the soil. That means you cannot take this puppy out in public where it may expose other puppies who are not vaccinated for at least 6 months. That also means your yard will be contaminated for at least 1.5 years minimum so you cannot have any dogs over to play who are not fully vaccinated or else they run the risk of contracting the virus. You don’t want to harm any other pets. He also cannot play with any dogs who are not fully vaccinated for 6 months. The vaccine is highly effective and it’s unlikely that a fully vaccinated pet will get sick (but keep in mind nothing is a 100% guarantee). I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is evidence that once a dog has parvo they are protected for life. But I am hoping that your parents have vaccinated her since she was sick? The vaccine also gets distemper which is also contagious. If your parents have never vaccinated their dog I wouldn't bring Kona over there. Even if she is in the crate the virus is all over the house, where ever the dog went. If their dog is vaccinated then Kona should be fine there. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a fine line between being too over protective and not socializing the puppy enough. I think walks on side walks and NON dog parks are fine. I think playing with healthy (not recently sick or currently sick) and 100% vaccinated animals is also fine. I do not recommend boarding, doggie daycare or dog parks until 2 weeks after the puppy's final vaccinations. So yes I think it absolutely fine for your friend to visit. Humans can carry viruses. If it has been 2 months since her previous dog died of parvo it is likely safe. She should leave her shoes outside and have clean clothes on. Have her wash her hands before playing with your puppy. If she recently, with in 2 months, had a parvo infected dog that is still alive in her house I would not have her visit. Good luck!