Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    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
    Petco Pay LogoBecome 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

Puppies died after parvo shots. Was it the vaccine or the disease?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 7 months old

My friends dog had a litter of 5 puppies and after 2 months he took his pups to the vet and gave them vaccines for parvo virus but after that day the pups got lethergic and got very sick and then after 6 days all pups died. The vet said that they had parvo virus. But before giving them the vaccine the pups were healthy and active. What can be the problem ?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on March 1st, 2017

I'm very sorry to hear that this happened! Unfortunately, there is no way to know why the puppies got sick and died unless an autopsy was done on one or more of them, or some testing was done before they passed away. Parvo is certainly one possibility - the incubation period for this virus is 7-10 days, so this means that they were probably exposed sometime before their vet visit and began showing symptoms a few days later. They also could have had distemper, canine herpesvirus, or a severe intestinal parasite burden - all of these can cause death in young puppies as well.

I would not expect the vaccine to have had anything to do with this, since it would be extremely uncommon for all of the puppies in a litter to all have a serious vaccine reaction. Serious reactions are quite rare, and normally affected dogs become extremely sick immediately and die within 24 hours - so the timing doesn't really fit either. It's likely that the timing of the vaccine was a coincidence, and the cause of death was an infectious disease or some other unrelated event. Again, I'm very sorry for the loss of your friend's pups.
Vote Icon4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 25th, 2016

    The incubation period for parvo is 7-14 days, so unfortunately, Deisel can still get parvo. Receiving the vaccine yesterday will not prevent him from getting it, as he was exposed previously to receiving the vaccine. I'm very sorry your other dog died! I would monitor Deisel, and take him into the vet immediately if he shows any symptoms of parvo.

    Vote Icon

    3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Lindsey Edwards MVB, BSc, IVCA

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 25th, 2018

    Generally symptoms resolve within 7-10days of exposure so it would be unlikely that any initial exposure would manifest later but it us possible he could become exposed beyond this. Regular, routine vaccination is vital to reduce the risk.of these serious diseases

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 7th, 2018

    Distemper parvo vaccines are usually given every 3 weeks until they are 15-16 weeks old so he likely got a booster of the same or similar vaccine as he received when he was 7 weeks old. This is normal and not going to harm him either way. Today's vaccine should be effective whether or not he received one at 7 weeks old. He will need another distemper parvo vaccine in 3 weeks and again in 6 weeks from now. Your vet will also recommend some other vaccines dpenedent on your area. I would not take him to public places like a dog park or pet stores until he is completely vaccinated. I hope this helps!

    Vote Icon

    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
My puppy died from parvo after full vaccination. How is this possible?
I am so sorry Kyra died. Pleas accept my condolences for your loss. I see from the vaccination records that each vaccine was given two weeks apart. The recommendation from the American Veterinary Association is that these initial vaccines each have to be given four weeks apart in order to incur immunity. Given too close together, they will not work correctly, which you have seen unfortunately. I know this won't bring Kyra back, but I hope this helps answer your question. Again, I'm sorry.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why did my dog die from parvo with no diarrhea and negative test?
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. We can occasionally have dogs that may test negative for parvo earlier in the course of the disease, so it is possible if your dog was never vaccinated for parvo and was a young dog (we can see this disease in older dogs, but the majority are 2 years and under). Other possible causes could include hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE), Addison's disease, severe GI parasitism, or toxin ingestion. If you want a more certain answer to what happened you could request that your vet have a necropsy performed on Red's remains.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog had parvo. Why are her puppies dying suddenly after birth?
If your dog had the puppies in the same location/area where she had parvo, it is highly likely that the virus is still present in the environment and may affect the young puppies. It may also be that Precious is not allowing the pups to nurse. I would recommend monitoring them closely to see if she is allowing them to nurse. If she’s not you will need to bottle feed the pups. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
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
Is it normal for a puppy with parvo to get worse before better?
So sorry to hear this happened. Yes, parvo is very serious and they will often get worse before they get better. Sometimes though, they do not recover despite aggressive treatment. I'm not sure what her vaccination status is but please, in the future, be sure any puppies get their full series of vaccinations. It is a series of vaccinations beginning at 6-8 weeks of age and then given every 3-4 weeks until they are about 16 weeks of age. The vaccines should be given by a veterinarian where you know the source of the vaccines and that they have been stored/handled properly. It is very rare for a properly vaccinated puppy to get parvo. Best wishes and I hope Peanut recovers fully soon.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Vaccinated dog has parvo symptoms after another dog died. Help!
If both dogs were properly vaccinated for parvo, then it would be unlikely. However, I am concerned that there could be some infectious or toxic process going on. Since your other dog died, I would recommend that Bane see a vet as soon as possible. I would still recommend a parvo test, as well as investigation into other causes that look like parvo (often lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea), such as intestinal parasites, liver disease, intestinal blockage, etc. Your vet may recommend x-rays and bloodwork in addition to a parvo test.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Puppy vomiting, not eating, losing weight after sister died. Is it parvo?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I’m sorry to hear Pup isn’t feeling well. I would be very concerned about parvovirus since a littermate died and the virus is extremely contagious and can be fatal. I recommend getting Pup to a vet as soon as possible to have her. tested for the virus. If she is positive, I recommend hospitalization with IV fluid therapy and medications because this virus can cause severe dehydration in a puppy that young. If she is negative, I recommend they test her stool for microscopic parasite eggs. Although she may have been dewormed, not all medications treat all parasites and she may have something that needs to be addressed. Good luck and kisses to Pup!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Related Searches

Dog SuppliesDog Health & WellnessAt-Home Dog VaccinesVaccines and Shots for CatsDog Medicine and PrescriptionsPet PharmacyDog Vitamins & SupplementsPrescription Dog Insulin & Diabetes MedicationPuppy Milk ReplacersElectrolytes for DogsPrescription Dewormer for DogsDog Seizure MedicationHeartworm Medicine for DogsCold & Kennel Cough TreatmentsPrescription Dog AntibioticsDog Pain Relief & Arthritis MedsPrescription Dog Digestive MedicationsDog First Aid & RecoveryDog Probiotics & Digestive AidsDog Dewormers & Worm Medicine
Have A Vet Question?

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

Book Now

Share

Styled arrow button