Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Is Parvo a risk for adult dogs? How long do infected dogs live?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | unspayed | 79 lbs

(Sorry for my bad English) My 3 years old dog is dead. Because she infected Parvo virus. I want to ask you "can a parvo virus infect adult dog?" And "how long adult dog can survive when adult dog infected parvo virus"

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Darvishian

Veterinarian

Published on December 20th, 2017

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Ttorri. Parvovirus can infect an adult dog if they are not vaccinated against it or the vaccines were not effective enough to allow protection against the virus. Also, immune system problems in an adult dog or an immunocompromised adult dog could allow an infection like this to take hold. Parvoviruses vary widely in their strength or virulence so it's impossible to know how long an adult dog could survive. Some strains of the virus are very deadly and can cause death very rapidly. Again, so sorry for your loss. I wish you good luck. One last note- Parvo can last in the environment for months so I would be very cautious if getting another dog. You should clean and disinfect what you can in your home to eliminate the virus. Bleach and water is a good disinfectant. Bleach 1 part to Water 30 parts (very dilute) is enough to kill parvo.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My dog died from parvo. Are my other dogs at risk of getting it?

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. If your other dogs are adults (over 2 years old) and current on their vaccinations, it is very unlikely that they would get parvo - this is almost always a disease of unvaccinated puppies. But, if you have other puppies or young dogs in the house, especially if they are not current on vaccines, then I would be concerned that they may catch it. The virus lives in the environment for years, so I would recommend cleaning everything that your puppy came into contact with using a diluted bleach solution.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My adult dog is sick. Could it be parvo, and can she die from it?

Hello. It is very unlikely that a 9-year-old dog can contract Parvo. But there is any number of conditions & diseases that can cause severe gastrointestinal upsets. I can not tell you if this is a fatal situation or not, all I can say is you need to stay in close communication with your veterinarian, reporting any unusual signs, or indications that your pet is not healing or doing well. Hopefully, with good treatment & medications, everyone will be feeling much better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My puppy died from parvo. Can I safely get another new puppy?

Parvo can live for up to one year in the environment. I would not risk getting another puppy; an adult dog, yes. If you decide to get another puppy it is up to you but it would need to be FULLY vaccinated, meaning it is at least 4 months of age and has received 3-4 distemper/parvo vaccines at the proper intervals (3-4 weeks apart). Otherwise you are risking this new pups life.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Is old parvo dirt still a risk to my dog after many years of exposure?

If your dog has been fully vaccinated against parvo (completed a full puppy series of vaccines) then infection is very unlikely. If it has been years since the kennel had a parvo infected dog inside, it is unlikely the virus is still alive. You can read more about the virus/disinfection here http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=&A=579&SourceID=

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Can my adult cat get parvo from a puppy? How to kill parvo in carpet?

The short answer is, "no." An adult cat is extremely unlikely to contract parvovirus from a puppy. In cats, Parvovirus is called "panleukopenia," and routinely cats are vaccinated for this as part of the FRCP (distemper) shot. The only way to difinitively kill Parvovirus is with bleach, which generally is not an acceptable answer for carpets. The good news is that the virus will no longer be infective indoors after a period of 4 weeks. Steam clean carpets thoroughly, then avoid bringing young and/or unvaccinated dogs into the home for the next month. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

How long does my dog shed parvo in their poop after treatment?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Dogs can shed the virus for up to 14 days after they have clinically resolved the infection. The other problem with the parvo-virus is that it is very hearty, meaning that it can survive a very long time in the environment. It can survive freezing and high temperatures, therefore if you had a dog in your yard with parvo-virus, then any dog that comes into your yard for years later is at risk. Therefore you have to be very carefully with new puppies in your yard/house after having a dog with parvo. Make sure all animals are fully vaccinated. Best of luck with your little one!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog died from parvovirus. How do I cope and disinfect my home?

I am sorry for your loss. Everyone deals with this type of loss differently. Here are some articles that may be helpful: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/pet-loss.aspx https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/coping-death-your-pet http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/7-ways-to-cope-with-the-loss-of-a-pet 1:32 dilute bleach will kill parvovirus, but it is unlikely that you will be able to disinfect everywhere that Chico was during the last couple of months (think couches, carpets, rugs, etc). Since it can stay infective in the environment for many months, I would recommend not getting a young puppy for at least 6 months. If you do decide to get another dog, an older one that has been previously vaccinated or a puppy that is older than 4 months old and has already had 3 rounds of vaccines should be safe. Distemper does not last long in the environment.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share