Living with Canine Parvovirus

Last January 15,(2007) my family and I had decided since we had been previous Rottwieler owners and had plenty of fenced freedom for them (yes, I said “them”, we would adopt the homeless, unwanted, unloved, abused and show them the there IS ALL that!!~!~

They were 3 10 week old puppies about 100+ miles away from our home and it just so happened to be the worst freeze yet (in TX how many do ya really get??). Schools were closed & people were advised to stay inside. Not at all hesitant, my husband, daughter (17), and I jumped to an early start headed south figuring it would get clearer the further south we we….. We were wrong!

The roads were just getting worse. Yet still we carried on. It took nearly 6 hours to finally arrive and when we did we saw numerous dogs of various breeds and ages, seemly in good health. Majority of the larger ones were out side and the 3 “brothers” (Carmicheal,Simms and Brock) presumably rotts were inside.

Two of the pups were vivacious, playful and healthy. Brock however, just wasn’t feeling good and it was obvious. He tried though. He did get up and wag his tail but only for a minute. There was our red flags!! Determined to take Simms and Carmichael back home with us, we gave the “rescueres” $100.00 per pup collected our papers. (They had only one vacc. and was supposed to get another before we left. I have never been so hurried out of ANYPLACE much less some place that is supposed to be animal lovers!!!!

Needless to say, they did not get thier booster. The trip home was long and the pups did great and it was late we we finally got home. The very next day, I noticed thier stool was unusually soft with an awful odor and that “Ace” (Formerly Simms!) was not eating. It seemed that the pups would go from eating to not and back and forth. Lethargic and weak my gut knew there was a problem.

On Jan. 17th,07 just 2 days after “rescuing” them, Ace vomited entire stomach contents. Obadiah (Formerly Carmichael~~ now known as Obie!) had NO interest in food Ace neither food nor water on the 18th and their stools were ly white and very pale brown when not runny. They were eating grass and throwing up.

These poor little guys had it coming out both ends and their was nothing alone I could do (except kaopectate and gatorade, half h2o). Four nights of constantly cleaning up and caring for them had plum worn us out. Time for the Vet. I knew that it was the Parvo-Virus (Which I had lost a pup MANY years ago to) and I also knew the odds of survival. 50/50.

2 Pups~~~~ Uhhh Ohhh!!! No way! I stayed all night researching Parvo and it’s treatment. Early on the 19th (4 days later) we loaded them poor lil guys up and off to the Dr. we went. I spoke to the vet very educatedly as I am a former nurse, and inquired if it was in fact dehydration that was the ultimate demise for infected pups? Indeed it is and as young as they were their chances were anyone’s guess. They were just 11 weeks old! Weighing in at 19 (Ace) and 19.5 (Obie) the Dr. gave them shots for nausea, diarreha, and an antibiotic.

I insisted that he send me home with fluids, extension sets, I.V. needles so I could keep them hydrated. He complied. Knowing how to administer the fluids sub-cutaneously I felt confindent. What I didn’t know was that water (Saline w/Dextrose) under their skin the size of a large egg was frightening at best!! I performed that once a day on that day and again in the morning (Sat. the 20th).

The boys were going downhill FAST and I didn’t know what to do! I called the Vet clinics owner and it just so happened that he was the Dr. that seen my babies. He told me that at every waking moment and also during the night he would be injecting fluids SQ non stop. It hurt me to have to poke and re-poke with such little, extremely tight/thick skin and watch the knot grow but I had to disassociate from those feelings and just do it!

Saturday (the 20th and 21st) and Sunday were the most crucial days. Nothing going in by mouth and NOTHING coming out either end! I was afraid we had lost them despite shoving pills down their throat, stabbing them 4-5 times a day, providing them with not water but water with gatorade mixed in (No, they really didn’t like it but once they started drinking it was all I could do to keep the bowl full!), trying to get them to eat Nutra puppy food, waking several times a night to give fluids SQ, I thought it was a futile effort.

One morning it was Obie’s water appointment (my daughter holding him), and he was having NONE of it! I told him “Now Obe, if you don’t wanna get anymore pokes you HAVE to start eating and drinking! You hera me?” And I kid you not, she let him down and he went right to eating the cats food like he had never eaten before! From that point on I did not have to intervein. They were well on their way to good!

When we rescued these babies they weighed 17.5 and 19lbs according to the vet that administered the Rabies shots on Jan. 12, 2007. At the worst part of their illness they could not have been a mere 10lbs. I am proud to say that at last check-up 77 (Ace) and 81 (Obie) and they were only 6 months old!

The main thing to keeping your baby alive is hydration. If you are unable to afford to kennel them (as myself) then you will just have to insist that you do it yourself. With medication, hydration, dedication and ALOT of patience your pet CAN survive the Parvo-Virus!!!