Signs of Parvo - Major Signs Your Dog May Have Parvo

Some dogs will not show signs of Parvo. This is usually the case with dogs that are over a year old or dogs who have been vaccinated. The two type of Parvo are Caridac and Intestinal.

Cardiac ( a less common form of Parvo) occurs in young puppies (less than 8 weeks of age) and attacks the heart muscle.In this type of Parvo, a puppy may have difficulty breathing and may suddenly die. The Cardiac form can cause dogs that survive this disease to have scarring in their heart muscle.

Intestinal - This form of the Parvo virus causes extreme damage to the intestinal tract. Most dogs that contract this are less than 1 year old and between 6 and 20 weeks old (before the full set of vaccinations are given)

Signs of Parvo in the Intestinal Form

-Lethargy 
-High fever
-Depression
-Loss of Appetite
-Vomiting
-Diarrhea- Bloody and foul smelling

Signs of Parvo usually appear from 3 to 10 days after your dog has been exposed.

Diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration or shock. A temperature below 100.5 is an indication your dog is going into shock. To tell if your dog is dehydrated, lift up the scruff of the neck as mother dogs do (without picking up your dog). If the skin snaps back quickly, your dog is not dehydrated. If the skin is still bunched up, this means your dog is dehydrated. Another indication of dehydration is a dry nose.

Parvo is a very seriously and deadly disease. While it is more common on a young dog, it can infect any age dog.  While there are other diseases that mimic Parvo, if your dog has any of these signs, it is important to contact your Veterinarian immediately.