My puppy has parvo symptoms but tested negative. What should I do?

Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. Supportive care (IV or subcutaneous fluids, anti-emetics, anti-diarrheals and parenteral nutrition) may be indicated until a diagnosis is reached or until your pup recovers.

Parvo tests, just like many other medical tests, are not 100% accurate, There are certain strains of the Parvovirus that will show up as negative 100% of the time. You must rely on the veterinarian's clinical experience with the disease and the dog's presentation to determine if Parvo is an appropriate diagnosis. Sounds like Blue should get some radiographs and blood work to see what else might be going on. Hope this makes sense.

If Paris tested positive for parvovirus it is likely that she did have parvovirus since we do not typically see a false positive on the test. While many dogs get very sick from parvovirus there are some dogs who develop mild clinical signs and others can even be asymptomatic for the disease. If she did not have a parvovirus test performed than it certainly could have been another disease - there are many causes of vomiting and bloody diarrhea in puppies ranging from intestinal parasites to dietary indiscretion (eating non-food items). I'm glad she's feeling better!

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.

I'm glad to hear Nova is responding to treatment. To answer your questions: No, she will not always test positive. Once the infection is cleared, she will test negative. Most vets will not test again for parvo unless the puppy seems to be doing something unexpected. If the puppy seems to be recovering normally, it's not likely they will retest. I do caution though that some vets may have different protocols. They determine when a pet can go home by their behavior. In general, once a puppy is eating and drinking on their own, seems bright and is not longer vomiting or having severe diarrhea, they can usually go home. They must also have normal levels of protein in their blood. I certainly recommend to discuss your concerns with your veterinarian. They can keep you updated on Nova's progress. Most vets will want a puppy to display signs of recovery for at least 1-2 days before going home. I hope Nova continues to do well!

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.

I am so sorry to hear about Darcy! This type of illness is so frustrating and I see it occasionally in my emergency practice. It could still be parvo, although false negatives are rare. It could be a toxin, anaphylactoid reaction, a parasite, HGE (hemorrhagic gastroenteritis), pancreatitis, a foreign body obstruction, or something else. The main thing with all of these is supportive care, so the iv fluids and are crucial. Certainly you are entitled (and even encouraged) to seek out a specialty center for a second opinion if Darcy is safe to transfer. Feel free to reach out to me for a consultation via the link below if you’d like to discuss more specifically Darcy’s bloodwork, X-rays, or treatment plan. Best of luck to you and Darcy!