My dog has Parvo. How long can he go without food on IV fluids?

They can go several days without eating, but it's good that you're getting her to the vet. The biggest / most pressing concern is the severe dehydration that parvo can cause, as well as possibility of secondary infections from the compromised GI tract.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Luna has parvovirus but I'm happy to hear you are getting her treatment. Your veterinarian may have recommended to hold off food for a little bit to reduce the risk of her vomiting it back up. I would contact them to clarify the timeline that they recommended these things. Generally, withholding food for 8-12 hours is sufficient. Also, we do not generally recommend preventing dogs from drinking water. I would allow her access to water, and call your veterinarian to have them clarify why and for how long they don't want Luna to have food. I hope this is helpful!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Ivy! You can and should start feeding Ivy gently by syringe, if she will not eat on her own, as soon as the vomiting has stopped. I would blenderize canned puppy food with water or purchase a canned recovery diet (like Hill's a/d) from your Vet. Parvo is tough, they usually get worse before they get better. It can take 5-7 days when they are hospitalized to get better. Parvo can be deadly, so if Ivy is non stop vomiting and is losing a lot of fluids she should be rechecked. Puppies die from parvo due to secondary dehydration and sepsis. I hope this helps and I wish Ivy a speedy recovery!

Poor puppy. Ruger needs medications which includes antibiotics (injectable Cefazolin or Ampicillin is needed since he isn't eating), anti-nausea medication (i.e Cerenia or Metoclopramide), nutritional support (Nutri-cal, available over the counter perhaps at your local pet store). As long as he is getting fluid therapy he is getting much needed electrolytes which is greatly beneficial towards his improvement because dehydrations is the #1 cause of death in these pets. You can also offer him small amounts of Pediasure using a syringe or small turkey baster.. I hope that your poor puppy is able to fight through this horrible viral infection and makes a full recovery.

I'm so sorry Nala has parvo. It makes a puppy extremely ill, and I'm not surprised she hasn't eaten there. If the vet is giving her an IV, she may be getting nutrients from that. Check with the vet to see if that is what's happening. She is in the right place, and she has the best chance of survival there. I hope she makes it!

Most pets will begin showing signs of recovery after 4-5 days of starting treatment. It sounds like Celie is still not doing as well as expected and that is concerning. I recommend to have her examined again. Have her bloodwork checked to see if she is struggling with low blood protein levels or low platelet numbers. Some pets may need additional colloid fluids or a plasma transfusion. Your veterinarian may also need to do an x-ray to see if there is something else going on like an intestinal blockage. Celie should also be eating a bland diet. I recommend one of the prescription diets like Hill's i/d or Royal Canin gastrointestinal. She may need to be force fed (but only do so with your veterinarian's approval). If you do continue to feed her baby food, make sure there are no onions or garlic in the ingredients. If you cannot get food into her easily, she may need a feeding tube placed or other form of parenternal nutrition. It sounds like you are trying very hard. I can't say if she should be examined tonight or not since I can't examine her and don't know what condition she is in. If she is declining though, she should be examined tonight for sure. Definitely have her checked first thing tomorrow morning if she does not go in tonight. I hope this helps and that Celie starts to recover as expected.

If your dog is recovering from parvo you should not be offering any foods other than his regular diet or bland meals of boiled rice and chicken as the other foods may cause the already irritated intestinal lining to become worse or prolong the irritation. If he is not eating his food there may still be some underlying pain or GI upset. You can offer a bland meal of boiled rice and chicken for a day or so, however if the lack of appetite continues or he does not begin to eat his food it is best to seek veterinary care.