What are the health risks for a puppy that survived parvo or was exposed?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Lotus Altholtz

  Veterinarian, Board-Certified Lab Animal Medicine Specialist

  Published on February 26th, 2018

  The very real risk of putting her on the ground (public sidewalk, dog park, even petstore floor) is that she could contract a disease called parvovirus which is shed in the feces of infected dogs. If she walks over parvovirus particles (where other owners scooped up infected feces), and licks her paws, she could contract parvovirus which usually results in serve life threatening diarrhea and dehydration and requires expensive overnight care at an emergency hospital often lasting several days. Puppies are usually vaccinated against distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and parainfluenza virus at 8 weeks, again at 12 weeks and again at 14 weeks with the last booster at 14 + weeks of age in order for immunity to be effective for a full year. (Other vaccines include Bordatella at 8+ weeks of age, Rabies at 12+ weeks of age, lepto and Lyme at 12+ weeks of age -lepto and Lyme each need to be boosted 3-4 weeks after the initial dose to provide a year's worth of immunity and are often not given in very small breed dogs based on a risk/lifestyle evaluation). Until Luna is fully vaccinated, I recommend training her to pee and poop on pee pads in the home. If you have a private back yard where there are no other dogs, the risk of placing her on the floor outside is definitely less than the risk of placing her on the floor in a place where other dogs frequent, however training her to pee and poop on pee pads in the home is definitely the safest at this time as puppies can contract other parasites/diseases such as roundworms, fleas, tapeworms, giardia outside on a lawn. Especially for small dogs, I recommend pre-treating with benadryl prior to vaccines to prevent vaccine allergy reactions. You can ask your veterinarian about appropriate dosing for Luna's weight as well as appropriate heartworm/roundworm/hookworm and flea and tick prevention for her age and weight.

  

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• Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

  Licensed Veterinary Technician

  Published on February 18th, 2017

  The risks are greatly reduced. Parvovirus can spread on your clothes or shoes, so care must be taken if you are in an area where there has been recent or active parvovirus infection.
  Troy should have at least 1 vaccine at this point but he will need 1 or 2 more boosters before protection is conferred.

  

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• Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Published on August 27th, 2017

  It's not safe, mainly because the outside grass area is exposed to other dogs. parvo virus, which is the main danger at this age, can stay in the grass/soil for many months which puts Teddy in danger as long as he is not fully vaccinated.

  

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