Parvovirus -At Home Treatment For Your Puppy
DISCLAIMER: We are NOT veterinarians and the following material is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a trained veterinarian. This information is not intended as a substitute for your independent judgment and personal responsibility. Health issues are far too important to delegate to anyone else, especially diseases that can terminate the life of your beloved companion. It is highly recommended you seek information and counsel from as wide a variety of sources as possible including a Holistic Vet, as in the end YOU make the decisions.
What is Parvovirus?
Parvovirus is a viral infection that quickly attacks the rapidly dividing cells in the body such as the lining of the digestive tract or in developing white blood cells.
Parvo causes similar symptoms in all infected puppies and dogs, including:
• Vomiting & Nausea
• Dehydration
• Severe and often bloody diarrhoea with perhaps a yellowish tinge and a very distinct and unpleasant smell.
• Lethargy
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Decreased immune function
Dehydration can happen very quickly as a result of the diarrhoea and vomiting, especially in young puppies. Most deaths from parvo happen within 48 to 72 hours after the onset of symptoms. That’s why it’s critical that you take your pet to a vet or emergency clinic immediately if he shows any signs of this infection.
Parvo itself rarely kills dogs; it is the associated dehydration and secondary infection that is deadly. Certain breeds of dogs seem to show greater susceptibility to parvo and most of these are black and tan breeds such as Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers.
Parvo is easy for vets to diagnose. A stool sample can be analysed for parvo antigen in minutes using a SNAP test.
How did My Puppy Get Parvo?
There are many ways a puppy can get parvo.
1. If you come in contact with an infected animal without disinfecting yourself before playing with your puppy, you can give parvo to your puppy. This can happen for example at pet shows, pet stores and obedience classes.
2. If your puppy comes in contact with excretions from an infected dog, he or she can come down with parvo.
3. Stress can cause parvo to manifest. Many dogs and puppies that are purchased from animal shelters or brought into rescues come down with parvo. New homes, strange environments, new owners, other pets in the new home, changes to its normal diet, the puppy was possibly vaccinated with a 5, 6, or 7-in-1 vaccine and possibly rabies plus chemically wormed all at the same times can take a toll on the new puppies immune system and body.
4. Puppies who within the last 3-14 days have been vaccinated with Parvo vaccine prior to coming down with parvo. Many parvo like diseases will test positive for parvo, such as: Campylobacter and Salmonella and if a puppy was just vaccinated for parvo, it will test positive for parvo for at least 2 weeks post vaccination, even if it doesn’t have parvo.
5. Puppies testing positive for parvo that have heavy worm loads. Excessive worm loads can prevent recovery from parvo and they can also cause disease. Chemically worming when a puppy is extremely ill with parvo can kill the worms and the puppy in the worst case, so use caution.
6. Chemical worming can also lower a puppy or adult dog’s immune system causing them to come down with parvo. Never chemically worm a puppy that is not well, unless excessive worm load is the cause of the puppy’s ill health. In this case, use precaution and strive to boost the puppy’s immune system with excellent nutrition, clean fresh water, some good supplements such as Spirulina, Kelp, Vitamin C, Echinacea, Probiotics and Colostrum.
There are plenty of natural worming methods that can be utilized that are safe and effective. The first step is to get your puppy onto a natural diet such as BARF dog food. Include Diatomaceous Earth, garlic, pumpkin seeds, cumin seeds, grated raw carrot, Turmeric powder and Omega 3 fish oil into the food. These can be incorporated into your puppies’ diet 365 days a year. Other herbs that should be given temporarily include Wormwood, Oregon grape Extract and Black Walnut. You should never have to chemically worm your puppy again if you follow these methods. (read treating parasites with herbs and wholefoods on our website for further information)
Treatment for Parvovirus
Conventional Treatment for Parvo includes IV drip, antibiotics and anti nausea/vomiting medication. There is no specific treatment for Parvo in western medicine.
Conventional Antibiotics
Parvovirus is associated with a marked loss of white blood cells, leaving puppies open to secondary infection. Your vet may prescribe an antibiotic and you must also follow it up with Probiotics and Prebiotics to restore the balance of intestinal flora in your puppy’s gut. The bulk of the immune system resides in the gut and if the intestinal bacteria are out of balance; your puppy is susceptible to future illness from viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi.
Natural Antibiotics -Paxxin & Vibactra Plus
When giving conventional antibiotics it’s essential to provide your Parvo puppy Paxxin, Vibactra Plus, Colloidal Silver,. This is natures antibiotic and will give your Parvo puppy the best chance at recovery. Probiotics and Prebiotics are also needed to heal the immune and digestive system and normalise the effects of drugs, antibiotics use during treatment of Parvo.
Amber Technology Paxxin
Paxxin is a unique blend of herbs that was developed to help aid your dog in the fight against the deadly Parvo virus. This completely organic formulation contains 4 anti-microbials that assists the immune system to fight against the Parvo virus. Additionally, Paxxin contains three herbs that calm the stomach to relieve vomiting and diarrhea often associated with the virus. Paxxin also contains two herbs that help your dog’s body build up its immune system. Dogs usually show a significant improvement in their symptoms within 2-3 days with the use of Paxxin. In addition to its tremendous usefulness against the Parvovirus, Paxxin has shown supportive use against other intestinal issues such as general and nonspecific gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and building of the immune system. Paxxin has also been known to help with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea caused by environment changes, vomiting and diarrhea caused by diet, ease travel discomfort and gas.
Ingredients: Peppermint, Spearmint, Chamomile, Plantain, Echinacea, Oregon Grape, Rose Hips, Yarrow, Garlic, Goldenseal, Hibiscus Flower, Ethyl Alcohol, Distilled Water.
Amber Technology Vibactra Plus
Vibactra Plus is a special combination of herbs demonstrated to help maintain immunity via your pets known antibiotic and antioxidant activities. Vibactra Plus is an all-natural herbal dietary supplement. Designed to maintain proper immune functions in pets with bacterial, viral and parasitical infections. Strong immune systems are important for pets fighting refractory pneumonia, intestinal illness Vibactra Plus is designed to: Fight infections, suppress post-infectious inflammation, Increase immunity and reduce free radicals.
When to use Vibactra Plus: During Parvo outbreaks, to assist with Coccidia, Giardia and other microscopic parasites, help build the immune system, as a preventative against Parvo help with Kennel Cough or Canine Flu, when an open wound is present (to help keep infection from arising), help reduce many types of infection and before surgery to enhance immunity and eliminate the possibility of a coccidia.
Ingredients: Brown Mustard Seed, Olive Leaf, Jatoba, Cloves, Black Seed, Pau D’arco, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Ethyl Alcohol, Distilled Water.
How do Paxxin & Vibactra Plus work?
Paxxin & Vibactra Plus remedies work most often more quickly than traditional vet IV’s because Parvaid is administered orally, every hour on the hour and therefore goes through the digestive and intestinal tracts where the dis-ease is. Vet IV’s keep puppies hydrated through the veins, not in the digestive tract where the disease proliferates.
The herbs in Paxxin go directly to the intestinal tract to calm and soothe the digestive tract, stop the bleeding, boost the immune system which helps make the puppy feel better, and help bring back the puppy’s appetite. The Vibactra Plus goes to work, again, in the digestive tract to attack the parvo virus and prevent any secondary infections the parvo virus can cause, plus it eliminates single celled organisms such as coccidia protozoan. Using an enema, the herbs in Paxxin and Vibactra Plus are absorbed into the system and permeate the body, helping it heal. According to Amber Technologies their success rate for Parvo puppies is 85% using their nutriceuticals.
If you puppy has recovered from parvo one month to six months ago, but they still aren’t “quite right” Paxxin and Vibactra Plus will still help. One of the reasons this occurs is because even though parvo is in the intestinal tract, traditional medicine treats by hydrating via IV and nothing is given to calm, soothe, and heal the intestinal tract where the parvo virus sheds the intestinal lining. It’s also important to give your puppy Probiotics, Prebiotics and Colostrum to repair their gut and immune system.
Medicines such as anti-diarrheal and anti-vomiting meds, both of which keep the virus in the system which makes it harder for the body to recover as these toxins are kept inside the body. Blood and plasma transfusions are sometimes given to replace protein loss, provide antibodies, and help with anaemia. Paxxin helps prevent the need for plasma transfusions. “Simple” parvo cases are 110%, usually within 48 hours, using Paxxin & Vibactra Plus.
Colloidal Silver
Colloidal Silver is a natural and powerful broad spectrum antibiotic agent; it also has excellent antiseptic, antifungal and disinfectant properties. As long ago as 400 B.C. Hippocrates described colloidal silver’s antimicrobial properties. Its popularity fell when antibiotics came into the scene. Recommended oral use : Use 1/4 tsp to 1 tsp/ 3 times daily for active infection for up to 10 days. If infection has been resistant to other antibiotics, triple the initial first dose and then back off to maintenance dose above. Take precaution with Colloidal Silver if your dog suffers from renal issues, placing additional burdens on your dog’s kidneys, liver and bladder.
Probiotics & Prebiotics
Good health starts with a healthy digestive tract and illness begins in the gut. Hippocrates didn’t hold back when he claimed “death sits in the bowel”. There are 10 times more bacteria in the digestive system than there are cells in the body, many of these bacteria are beneficial to health. The good guys are referred to as Probiotics, which breed in the bowel. Some create vitamins such as K, B5, B9 and B12; others help improve absorption of magnesium, calcium and iron.
A large percentage of the immune system is located around the bowel and Probiotics are important for the maintenance and regulation of immunity, helping prevent and heal infections stopping diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal disorder. On the other hand, Prebiotics are nourishment that the good bacteria in the gut need to stimulate growth and flourish. Flaxseed meal can be used as a Prebiotics. 1/2tsp- 1tbsp mixed into can be given as a food to Parvo puppies. Once a parvo puppy has sufficiently recovered Probiotics capsules would be extremely beneficial to bring the whole intestinal flora into balance.
Slippery Elm –Anti Diarrhoea Herb
It’s useful to Parvo puppy with inflamed digestive upset. It soothes the digestive tract, with its lubricating, emollient and anti-inflammatory qualities. It is generally considered a safe herb, except for cases of allergic reactions. Open a capsule and mix with plenty of water, orally syringe into puppy’s mouth or 1/2-1 tsp powder can be mixed with water, broth or sprinkled into wet food if your puppy is eating, repeat through the day. Stop when stool returns back to normal for your puppy. Remember to provide plenty of water to your puppy as Slippery Elm is a mucilage herb and absorbs fluids in the gut.
Colostrum
Colostrum is nature’s first food provided at birth by female mammals. Colostrum contains the perfect combination of immunoglobulins, growth factors, antibodies, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids to protect the body and promote healthy immune system function at birth. Colostrum has been used to treat among other things, gastrointestinal problems, diarrhoea, bacterial and viral infections, Every sick animal, regardless of illness, and geriatric animals can benefit from this supplement. Animals with chronic disease, are started on no more than a pinch of colostrum slowly increased to one-quarter to one-third of a teaspoon per 25 lbs. of bodyweight.
Parvovirus 30C Nosode
A nosode is a homeopathic remedy made from infective excretions, and secretions from an infected animal: faeces, urine, pus, blood, hair, saliva, spinal fluid, necropsy tissue section of an organ or growth showing pathology.
Parvo (30C) is a homeopathic oral remedy used both for preventation and curatively in the treatment of canine Parvovirus. Homeopathic nosodes are similar to vaccines in that they help to build protection and resistance against specific diseases. They differ to conventional vaccines in that they are usually manufactured from the products of diseases rather than from a culture of the disease agent or virus itself as in many conventional vaccines.) Research has shown a high rate of success in the treatment and prevention of Canine Parvovirus using this homeopathic ‘vaccine’ in contrast to the conventional vaccination which seldom confers immunity without numerous subsequent booster shots. During a Parvo breakout Nosodes should be used 8-10 drops/ 3-4 times a day orally, stopping when the puppy has recovered.
Should you Vacinate?
One reason vets advocate vaccination for parvo is that the cost of treating this illness with conventional methods can be very steep. Vet bills costing thousands are not unusual as round-the-clock intravenous drips, overnight stays, blood tests, antibiotics and other treatments add up fast. Most puppy owners are understandably willing to pay these large bills to save their puppies.
At first glance, it makes sense: vaccinate your puppy and you can avoid costly vet bills or loss of life in the future. But here’s what they don’t tell you.
• 28% of vaccinated puppies still get parvo
• Parvo kills more vaccinated puppies than unvaccinated
Most vets withhold some seriously important information when they tell you to vaccinate your puppy for parvo. Risk of disease can be minimized but never eliminated – even with vaccination. Given this, it appears you have two choices for your puppy:
1. Vaccinate. If you do, your puppy may possibly be less likely to suffer from parvo. If they do get it he/she is more likely to die from it and is more likely to suffer detrimental long-term health effects.
2. Don’t vaccinate . If you don’t, they may be more likely to get parvo, but he/she is also more likely to survive it – without expensive vet bills and with less risk of long term consequences.
How much more likely are vaccinated puppies to die from parvo?
In 2008, Ambertech the manufacturers of a Parvo herbal product called Paxxin (formerly Parvaid) and Vibactra Plus surveyed their customers to determine the impact vaccination had on Parvo survival. Here are the results:
• 66% of recently vaccinated puppies treated with Parvaid survived parvo
• 91% of unvaccinated puppies treated with Parvaid survived parvo
Both groups of puppies were treated with the same protocol and the unvaccinated puppies clearly had a lower mortality rate.
If you want to prevent your puppy from getting parvo, then maybe you should vaccinate. If, however, you want to prevent your puppy from actually dying from parvo, then perhaps you might want to hold off on that vaccine.
Preventing Parvovirus
The first and most important step in treating any disease is prevention. If you choose to not vaccinate your puppy, you have taken an important step toward preventing them from becoming ill.
If that seems counterintuitive, consider that the first order of business should be to build a strong immune system. We are led to believe that vaccines create immunity but that simply isn’t true. Vaccines do not immunize, they sensitize.
To avoid parvo and death from parvo – it is crucial to build your puppy’s immune system. Here are some tips to help you prepare your puppy’s immune system against the threat of parvo.
Avoid Vaccinations
Vaccination introduces small amounts of genetically modified, adjuvanated and chemically preserved antigen to artificially stimulate an immune response.
The problem with this approach is that it turns the immune system “inside out.”
The immune system relies heavily on “memory cells” deep within the tissues (this is called cellular immunity). When vaccines are injected into the body, they bypass the cellular immune system and instead stimulate the humoral immune system. This is completely backward to what nature intended and the humoral system suppresses Interlukin 12, an immune modulator on which the cellular system is largely dependent. Vaccination makes the humoral immune system dominant over the cellular immune system, effectively turning the immune system inside out.
If you are going to Vaccinate :It is best not to vaccinate an animal who is stressed, which means not to do so on an overly hot or cold day, when having surgery, when diseased or ill such as having parvo. Do not vaccinate at the same time you have your puppy spayed or neutered either. Wait at least two weeks between having them vaccinated and spayed or neutered.
It takes approximately 10-14 days from the time a pet is vaccinated for their immune systems to mount a response to the vaccine. As such, for 10-14 days post vaccination, a puppy literally has no immune system. This is why it’s not recommended to immediately vaccinating littermates who have been exposed to a sibling with parvo. The fact that puppies literally have no immune systems for 10-14 days post vaccination is largely why these puppies are the hardest to heal. Do not allow your Vet to use the 5, 6, and 7 –in -1 vaccine on your puppy. Each vaccine must be a single vaccine of Parvo and Distemper followed by two weeks break before the next shot of Parvo and Distemper. (Read Dr Jean Dodd’s Vaccine Protocol at www.hemopet.org).
Being vaccinated can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and/or lethargy in some puppies for 1 or 2 days post vaccination. Traditional wormers can exhibit these symptoms immediately after dosing as well.
Vaccinated and unvaccinated puppies alike can come down with parvo there simply are no Guarantees. As such, its utmost importance to keep a puppy’s immune system strong and healthy with the best quality nutrition and supplements you can give them. As well as daily fresh filtered water, plenty of sunshine, exercise, love, TLC, proper training, etc
Avoid Chemical Wormer
Puppies that are wormed within two weeks of becoming ill with parvo have a higher mortality rate (according to the Amber Technology study). On the other hand, puppies suffering from both parvo and a worm infestation are at much higher risk. Just as healthy puppies can develop immunity on their own, healthy puppies are able to fight off worm infestations. Breeders who feed puppies a fresh natural diet and avoid vaccines, drugs and chemicals whenever possible usually find they don’t need to use chemical wormers as much and their puppies don’t test positive for worms. Healthy puppies are generally not good hosts for parasites.
If your puppy does present with worms, however, it is important to deal with them immediately because it does elevate their risk of parvo. There are effective chemical-free choices which can be very effective without the threat that chemical wormers present to the immune system.
Feed Your Puppy the Best Diet You Can
Let food be thy medicine and instead of filling your puppy with corn, wheat and baked, fortified with synthetic vitamins and minerals, provide your dog or puppy with fresh, whole meat on the bone or a BARF diet. BARF is 100% raw and completely natural containing such things as muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meats, whole eggs, natural yoghurt, pulped vegetable and fruit and herbs just as Mother Nature intended. Canned and dry foods should be completely avoided or used as a last resort.
Socialise Wisely
If you choose not to vaccinate and even if you do vaccinate, be smart about where you take your puppy. Every time your puppy leaves the house, they are being exposed to small amounts of viruses and is building immunity naturally. The key is to not expose them to an environment with large amounts of parvo antigen, such as dog parks, because it might be too much for his young immune system to handle. Most puppies’ immune systems mature fully at around six months. Ironically, the most dangerous place you could take any puppy is the vet office. With perhaps the exception of an animal shelter, I can’t imagine an environment where your puppy might be more at risk for exposure to parvovirus.
Even if you follow all of the above, the unhappy day may arrive when your puppy gets parvo. If you have followed the above advice, however, you have already given your puppy’s immune system a very good head start in beating this disease.
Treating Parvovirus
The following is not intended to represent medical advice and, again, it’s essential you care for your puppy under the direction of a holistic vet.
Parvo can be treated at home, but it is a serious and deadly disease so it’s essential that you care for your puppy in the first instance preferably with a holistic vet who is versed in conventional and holistic methods of healing and who can give you the best outcome then just using drugs alone.
It’s a good idea to find a true holistic practitioner before you get your puppy: you don’t want to be caught with a sick puppy and nobody to take care of him the right way should he become ill.
Home or Vet Clinic
Many vet clinics keep the puppies overnight but don’t have staff on hand to actually monitor them overnight. A Parvo puppy needs 24 hr care and monitoring and this is something you will have to discuss with your Vet how this is going to be handled. At home you can give your puppy round the clock care in his own bed, surrounded by his family, so he won’t suffer the additional stress of being caged in the vet clinic all alone or around other sick animals.
Temperature -Fever or Chills
37.9–39.9 C or 100.2–103.8F is the normal temperature for a dog, anything other than this is either a low or high grade fever. Using a digital thermometer; rectum temperature reading should be taken.
High grade fever tells us a pup could dehydrate more quickly, as they are overheating, and so they may need extra fluids. A fever can also tell us there is a secondary infection going on in their body.
A low grade fever tells us the puppy is chilled. A light blanket helps them to keep their body heat, which can help them feel better and conserve their much needed energy for healing. Any fluids given to the puppy should be warmed to body temperature to stop their body temperature going down further.
NEVER feed solid food to a puppy with a fever, as this can prevent recovery and/or make them worse. The old saying, “Feed a cold, starve a fever” applies here.
Dehydration
Parvo itself is not the worst threat: the associated dehydration is much more dangerous.
Dehydration can kill your puppy -A lack of bodily fluid can cause a parvo puppy’s heart, kidneys, liver, lungs to have to work harder. Eventually these organs give out and they can die quickly from dehydration, so preventing dehydration is very important!
If your puppy can’t keep his liquids down orally, then you need to find another way to get them into him.
A quick test for hydration is to pinch the skin at the back of your puppy’s neck. It should bounce back immediately. If the fold you created takes 2 secs or longer to return to normal, your puppy is probably dehydrated and needs fluids fast.
A second test for hydration is to look out for dark pink gums. Please note some breeds of dogs have a darker tinge coloured gums. Very light pink, white, or greyish gums mean one of two things – either the puppy has excessive worms or they are dehydrated. When checking puppy hydration, use both the gum and pinch the skin method for added assurance.
You can lose a parvo puppy to dehydration or secondary infection, PRIOR to losing them of parvo. Dehydration causes the organs to work harder and the body can shut down quickly, resulting in death.
Hydration Method
There are 3 hydration methods that can be lifesaving for a Parvo puppy –intravenous fluids, oral and enema dosing.
Intravenous Fluids
Intravenous drip is easily done by a Vet and is the quickest and most effective way to get fluids and essential electrolyte fast into your parvo puppy. A catheter is inserted directly into the vein and fluids are delivered directly into the blood stream.
Oral and Enema Methods
Oral method simply means allowing the dog to drink fluids from their bowl or syringing fluids into their mouths. instead of giving straight water, give your puppy Pedialyte or Gastrolyte or another scientific formulated hydrating fluid. Small amount of fluids every 15 mins is best if your puppy is vomiting.
When a puppy is continuing to vomit or have diarrhoea, or they are not independently drinking fluids, and you don’t have access to an IV drip, the enema method can be used at home to help them get hydrated again, until they can keep fluids down orally.
Water is okay but Pedialyte or Gastrolyte or any other formulated oral hydration drink with electrolytes and minerals would be much better. Gastrolyte is a Australian scientifically formulated oral rehydration solution for the effective treatment of dehydration. Hydralyte works by replacing fluid and electrolytes lost due to vomiting, diarrhoea.
Treating the Diarrhoea
One of parvo’s most tell tale signs is “constant” bowel movements. Parvo puppies have bowel movements at least 4+ times/day. Even though a parvo puppy is not eating and may not have eaten for a few days, the lining of their intestines is shedding, which is what creates the constant bowel movements.
Diarrhoea causes fluid loss and dehydration. It is important to address the diarrhoea as quickly as possible. It may be tempting to use an over the counter product to stop the diarrhoea but herbal remedies will work best without being suppressive. Diarrhoea is the body’s way of trying to rid itself of something that is making it sick, so stopping the diarrhoea isn’t necessarily a good thing. It can actually make a puppy worse, by not allowing its body to get rid of what is making it ill quickly.
IF a parvo puppy is not having bowel movements, 9 times out of 10, the reason is because they are infested with worms. Use natural wormers to get rid of worms do not give chemical wormers as this can make the parvo puppy even sicker.
DISINFECTING
It is important to disinfect all areas infected with parvo. You don’t want your infected shoes, clothing, home, or grounds to possibly infect someone else’s puppy. Here are some disinfecting suggestions:
Chlorine bleach and water mixed at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 30 parts water. Be careful using this indoors and around your pets and children, making sure you have plenty of ventilation. Many people use this mixture and pour it over a towel in a foot sized container, so people can come in and out of an infected home and bleach their shoes to prevent transporting the parvo virus with them.
Distilled Vinegar, water, and hydrogen peroxide mixed with antiviral essential oils such as lavender, tea tree, lemon and eucalyptus are great for mopping up around sick puppies and it helps to calm them. Go easy on the essential oils, as a little can be a lot for puppies strong sense of smell.
Wash all infected clothing and linens in hot water. Bleach, distilled vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide can also be used in the wash.
LETHARGY
Parvo puppies do not feel well, and may be extremely lethargic. It is important to give them lots of TLC, time, attention, and be at their beckon call. It is important for them to be able to recover in a household that is conducive of getting better, excessive noise and play with other family members is best kept to a minimum, to help allow them to heal.
VOMITING
Parvo puppy vomiting can occur for numerous reasons. Check that your puppy isn’t vomiting for a reason that you can prevent.
MOTION SICKNESS – Movement can trigger vomiting. Whether a car ride, picking your puppy up and moving her to another location, or just from the puppy getting up to urinate or drink.
DEHYDRATION – Dehydration can trigger vomiting. Dehydration is likely the single biggest reason puppies are vomiting.
EXCITEMENT – If you go to visit your parvo puppy while they are at the vet’s on IV’s, the excitement of seeing you can sometimes trigger vomiting. It may also be the combination of getting up from a laying position and being so excited to see you that they momentarily “forgot” they were sick.
EXCESSIVE FLUIDS – often, parvo puppies quit consuming water on their own, so when they start drinking water, we get excited they are drinking. Our excitement is short lived, after our little parvo puppy gulps down a cup of water, only to vomit it up seconds later, in a massive mess all over the floor. We recommend keeping only 5 or 6 licks worth of water or plain flavoured Pedialyte/ Gastrolyte in a bowl on the floor for the puppy to consume. As soon as they drink this water, we wait 10 minutes and then replace the empty bowl with more water or Pedialyte/Gastrolyte, just enough for 5 or 6 licks. Do not give so much that they weigh down their little tummies and heave it back all over the floor. Small amounts of fluids, frequently is the go. You can give the puppy ice chips to lick also.
EXCESSIVE ORAL DOSING – If you are dosing your parvo puppy yourself with Paxxin and your puppy continues to vomit after 2 or 3 hourly doses, you can make the doses smaller and give half the hourly dose, every half hour. Hourly doses can even be broken down into quarters by giving 1/4 the hourly dose every 15 minutes. Make sure the puppy isn’t dehydrated though, as vomiting can be indicative of dehydration. If the puppy isn’t on IV’s or IV fluids and the oral doses continue to make the puppy vomit, an enema would be beneficial. Enema fluids are completely maintained by dehydrated parvo puppies.
EXCESSIVE WORM LOADS – Excessive worm loads can cause a puppy to vomit. If worms are present in your puppy’s vomit or stool, contact your Vet or give parasite tea and food grade Diatomaceous Earth orally and via enema daily. Excessive worms can prevent the recovery of a parvo puppy and some situations can kill puppies.
Worm overload symptoms are very similar to parvo and it is becoming increasingly common for parvo puppies to have worm overloads. Since parvo sheds the intestinal lining, giving a chemical wormer will be more readily absorbed into the puppy’s body, plus killing the worms creates dead, bloated worms that release toxins: bacteria, viruses, ammonia that can and often do, kill puppies when they have parvo as well. We do not recommend stopping the vomiting in puppies who have excessive worm loads. If they are going to vomit worms, we want them to through vomit or faeces. Keeping the parasites in the body with drugs that are supposed to stop vomiting can keep a puppy sick and/or even cause death.
Think Positive
Always think good thoughts about your puppy recovering from parvo. Our animals often know what we are thinking and if we think, “I don’t think my parvo puppy is going to make it”, it is possible for them to pick up on this thought and say to themselves, “They don’t think I’m going to make it” and then they will start to think this as well. After all, they already think you know everything, as you are their family and you feed and care for them.
Home Parvo Treatment
With the rising costs associated with veterinary care, people are looking for a home remedy for puppy parvo. The estimated cost to treat one puppy with the disease ranges $2,000.00- $5,000.00. Yet, it is a sign of many dog lovers’ emotional strength and good intentions that they still want to provide their animals with the best care they can afford. Veterinary treatment usually gives your puppy the best chance for survival, but if you truly can’t afford it, providing at home care may still help your pet recover.
www.wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com offers detailed suggestions about how to care for a puppy with parvo at home. This site covers treatments for puppy parvo based on Wolf Creek’s claimed experience in successfully treating 34 out of 35 puppies with the disease. Keep in mind, the folks at Wolf Creek are not veterinarians; they are a group of dedicated animal lovers and a rescue and rehab sanctuary.
For home treatment you will need:
Paxxin
Vibactra Plus
Pedialyte or Gastrolyte or similar scientific formulated oral hydrating drink
Enema Kit
KY jelly or similar
Extra Syringes for oral dozing
Dosage
Most parvo puppies are relatively easy to heal by just keeping up the hourly doses of the Paxxin remedy and electrolyte fluids and 4x/day doses of Vibactra Plus. Within as little as 6 hours, some puppies are already eating, worst case scenarios generally take 48 hours of round the clock, every hour on the hour dosing, until they are 110% well again according to wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com
Paxxin Dosage for Dogs
Courtesy of Manufacturer -Amber Technology www.ambertech.com
WEIGHT DROPS ml/cc # OF SERVINGS PER BOTTLE OAT WATER ELECTROLYTES
Under 3 lbs 2 0.06 493 1 tsp
3-10 lbs 5 0.15 197 2 tsp
11-25 lbs 10 0.30 99 1 Tbsp
26-80 lbs 13 0.40 74 2 Tbsp
81-150 lbs 15 0.45 66 3 Tbsp
151-250 lbs 20 0.60 49 4 Tbsp
(For pets over 251 lbs, add 5 drops for every additional 100 lbs of body weight.)
Directions for Use on Canines
General: give every 15 minutes for the first hour, then every hour until the animal’s stomach is calm for 6 hours. Afterwards, give 4 times daily for 2-3 days.
Immune Support: give 4 times daily for 5 days, take a 2 day break, then give 2 times daily for 5 days.
Vibactra Plus Dosage for dogs
WEIGHT DROPS ml/cc # OF SERVINGS PER BOTTLE
Under 3 lbs 2 0.06 493
3-10 lbs 5 0.15 197
11-25 lbs 10 0.30 99
26-80 lbs 13 0.40 74
81-150 lbs 15 0.45 66
151-250 lbs 20 0.60 49
(For pets over 251 lbs, add 5 drops for every additional 100 lbs of body weight.)
Directions for Use on Canines
General: give 4 times daily for 7-10 days.
Long term: give 2 times daily giving a 5 day break every 30 days.
Pregnant animals: give half the dose 1-2 times daily. (see caution)
Courtesy of Amber Technology www.ambertech.com
If you wish to treat your puppy for Parvo at home, you must be 100 percent committed to giving his remedies and treatments hourly and round the clock for as long as it takes. You will find that taking notes will help you to keep track of what remedies you have given your puppy and to track his progress. Treating your puppy for parvo at home can be challenging but very rewarding.
The following are important guidelines for those desiring to treat their own parvo puppies at home taken from wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com:
1. Some parvo puppies are relatively easy to heal and within the first few doses of Paxxin and Vibactra they are starting to consume fluids on their own, quit vomiting, and within 12-24 hours they are eating. This is NOT always the case with all puppies. If you are thinking of treating your parvo puppy at home, keep in mind that the worst puppies we have worked with required every hour on the hour oral or enema dosing for 24-48 hours straight. You might need some assistance, so you can get some sleep. IF you puppy is on IV’s, dosing can be easier, but you will need to dose the oral drops of Paxxin and Vibactra Plus every hour on the hour until the puppy is consuming fluids and beginning to eat. Do not dose the Paxxin and Vibactra Plus in their parvo puppy’s water, as if it isn’t consuming fluids on its own, it’s not going to get all the Paxxin it needs every hr.
2. Some people take their parvo puppy to the vet and leave them on IV fluids while they go to their jobs during the day and pick their parvo puppy up in the evening and treat with Paxxin & Vibactra Plus throughout the night time hours and return them to the Vets care in the morning.
3. If you are treating a parvo puppy(ies) at home, its important to keep a record of everything you do and everything the puppy does. Every oral dose you give, every temperature you take, every antibiotic dose, every time the puppy has diarrhoea, along with what colour it was, every time the puppy vomits, etc. This helps YOU to remember when you gave the last dose, plus it is useful if someone else helps to care for the puppy while you have a break. They can see how the puppy has been doing, as well as read what doses you have been giving.
Giving Your Parvo Puppy ENEMAS
Enemas are an excellent way of preventing puppies from dehydrating, especially if they are not keeping fluids down orally. If a puppy is not dehydrated, the enema fluids will come back out, but when they are dehydrating their bodies maintain all the enema fluids given. If a parvo puppy expels the enema fluids within seconds of giving an enema, its intestines may have twisted. If this occurs, get your puppy to a vet immediately.
You can give an enema with a fleet enema bag, an infant enema bag, a bulb syringe, or a standard clear syringe, like the one you may be using for oral doses. We prefer using clear syringes, as it’s easy to see how much fluid is in them and it’s easy to see how clean they are after washing. Always make sure to clearly mark an enema syringe with a permanent marker and never use an enema syringe even after it’s been thoroughly washed to give an oral dose, as you can reinfect a puppy with parvo.
There are 2 kinds of syringes. One is made to screw a needle into, which does NOT make a good syringe for giving enema doses. If using a syringe for giving enemas, make sure the tip is nice and clean, without that flowery thing typical needle syringes have. Lubricate the end of your enema applicator with KY jelly, or similar. Make sure the puppy’s spine is straight, as you cannot give an enema to a puppy that’s curled up.
Administer the enema fluids VERY slowly. We pat the puppy and tell them why we are giving them an enema…to help them get better so they can be happy, healthy, eat, and play. Giving 5 cc’s of enema fluids may take you 2 to 3 minutes to give.
If your parvo puppy has a low grade fever, we recommend warming the fluids to body temperature so their bodies do not have to work hard to bring the enema fluids to body temperature. It may help make their recovery easier and quicker.
Just note, it can take 10 to 15 minutes to give a 45 lb. parvo puppy 4 tbsps. (60 cc’s) of enema fluids. If you are giving the enema via syringe and the fluid starts to come back out, stop for a few seconds, pat your puppy so it can relax, and then slowly administer more of the enema fluid. Try again and give very slowly.
The purpose of an enema is to hydrate a puppy so that they will be better able to hold down oral fluids. We do not recommend giving enemas 24 hours straight or in lieu of oral dosing. Enemas are needed if a puppy is vomiting excessively, but the goal is to get them hydrated enough so that they can keep their oral fluids down.
Will My Vet Administer Natural Remedies
Many vets are presently using Paxxin & Vibactra Plus in their clinic to aid their parvo puppy treatment protocol and boost their success rate for healing parvo puppies. Some Vets will administer just the 2-15 oral drops of Paxxin every hour while someone is in the vet office, others will not.
The Vets who have administered the oral drops of Paxxin and Vibactra Plus to puppies on IV’s have commented within 12-24 hours of oral dosing, the puppy is eating and recovering so quickly. This is after the vet was suggesting euthanizing the puppy as it wasn’t showing improvement after being on IV’s for 4 to 6 days.
Some Vets will not give the oral drops of Paxxin and Vibactra Plus and after suggesting the owner have their puppy put to sleep, as it wasn’t improving on the IV’s after many days, the customers have taken their sick parvo puppy home and treated them with Paxxin, Vibactra Plus and Pedialyte/Gastrolyte every hour and most of these puppies are eating within 12 to 24 hours. Please note these people get a good tongue lashing from the vet, advising it is “cruel” to take their puppy home and attempt treatment…the puppy will die…etc. If you have a puppy at the vet on IV’s and you are paying the vet bill whether the puppy lives or dies, you should have some say in the treatment of your parvo puppy.
Puppy owners need to devote round the clock and every hour on the hour oral dosing to these puppies. You can’t take a nap from 3 am to 6 am, as a puppy can die in that short time frame. So choosing to bring a puppy home after having been on IV’s for numerous days is an undertaking that requires work on your part and/or the assistance of others to keep up the hourly dosing. Most times, they heal because they are at home with their family members and not in a cage, all alone, or with a bunch of other strange sick animals.
If you have a parvo puppy at the vets on IV’s, visiting as often as you can help a lot in your puppies healing and of course, I would also suggest you make all possible attempts at getting your vet to administer the hourly 2 to 15 drops of Paxxin and Vibactra Plus orally.
Parvo Preventative Treatment
Paxxin is useful as a preventative for puppies that have been exposed to the parvo virus, but are not exhibiting symptoms. Dosed the oral 2-15 drops of Paxxin (based on their weight), 4x/day for 5 days, along with the Vibactra Plus 2x/day for 5 days helps to prevent majority of exposed puppies from coming down with the disease, if dosed as soon as you know they have been exposed. All dog owners should have these remedies on hand “just in case”, as if dosed immediately upon seeing signs, the puppies will recover more quickly and treating non symptomatic puppies “immediately” will help prevent them from having any symptoms.
Treating a Litter of Parvo Puppies
There are a few things to consider if you are treating a litter of parvo puppies:
1. Weigh each and every puppy in the litter, even if you think they weigh the same. For example, one of the girl puppies weighs 8 lbs., but one of the boys might weigh 13 lbs. The girl’s hourly dosage would be 2 tsps., but the boy’s dose would be 1 tbsp every hour on the hour. Dosing the girl the 2 tsps would be fine, but over time, 2 tsps will not be enough for the boy who weighs more. It would be terrible to lose a puppy simply because it wasn’t getting enough hourly fluids.
2. When feeding a litter of puppies, if you feed them all in one bowl, sometimes it helps prompt those who aren’t eating, to eat, knowing that their siblings will eat all the food, if they don’t hurry up and try and grab a few bites. Feeding pups together might be useful in coaxing others to eat, especially when putting in ingredients they might otherwise not eat if fed alone however do not force feed anyone.
Again, it’s a good idea to do this research even before you bring your puppy home, so that you’re prepared to act quickly if needed. Diarrhoea can cause dehydration, due to the loss of fluids. IF we are personally dealing with a parvo puppy who has a massive amount of fluid loss through diarrhoea, we often make it a point to give them oral or enema fluids shortly thereafter, within 15 minutes or so, to replace the fluid loss, rather than waiting for their next scheduled hourly dose, to help prevent dehydration.
WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY PUPPY?
When a parvo puppy starts to feel better and wants to eat, it is best not to give them commercial canned or dry foods. When they ready to start eating giving the recovering puppy a choice of things to eat such as plain yogurt, scrambled eggs, small amounts of raw or cooked liver, cooked chicken and rice, raw or cooked ground beef or chicken, small amounts of low fat cottage cheese, chicken gizzards, heart, chicken necks, BARF dog food, etc. It is best to give them raw soft foods along with numerous small meals throughout the day, to help them recuperate more quickly and prevent overloading their tummies. Do not force feed a puppy solid food, as this can make them regress. Colostrum is excellent for soothing parvo puppy digestive tracts and helps boost their immune systems
IF your puppy hasn’t eaten for 3-4 days, syringing a small amount of raw egg or plain yoghurt will provide some protein as they are easily digested. (no more than 1/5th their oral dose of Pedialyte/Gastrolyte and Paxxin and Colostrum. They don’t need as much as their normal hourly dose of Paxxin and Pedialyte/Gastrolyte. Raw liver juice enemas are also helpful for this and cleanse the liver as well when puppies aren’t eating on their own yet.
Post Recovery
Once your puppy is eating, drinking, and playing again, we suggest continuing to dose just the 2-15 oral drops of Paxxin, based on their weight, 4x/day for 2 days, along with giving the Vibactra Plus 2 to 15 drops twice/day for 2 days, to prevent a relapse. Even if your puppy was treated at the vets on IV’s, the 2 days of Paxxin oral dosing will help hasten their complete recovery.
Feed small, light, numerous meals throughout the day if possible. Overloading the puppy’s tummy with too much food all at once is not recommended. Monitor their play time, just a little bit, so they don’t overdo it. Again though, if you used Paxxin to help your puppy heal and are continuing the 4x/day for 2 days preventative treatment to prevent a parvo relapse, your puppy should be fine without this monitoring, but for safety’s sake, keeping an eye on them and not letting them overdo won’t hurt them.
Once your puppy has sufficiently recovered and is looking for food, it is wise to put him on a bland diet. His intestines will still be raw and damaged and he will be susceptible to bacteria, so a cooked meat and white rice diet for the first couple of days should fit the bill after that a species appropriate or BARF diet is appropriate. Instead of giving large meals, feed frequent, small meals and watch their stools for any sign of relapse.
Raw chicken liver is one of the best things to feed parvo puppies just a small amount daily to provide lots of easily assimilated iron for blood loss, vitamin A, and other excellent nutrients. Do not feed your puppy dry kibble for at least the same number of days the puppy hasn’t eaten while being sick. Since puppies are carnivores with teeth designed for ripping and tearing at meat, the very best thing to feed them is real human grade raw meat and bones, species appropriate nutrition.
Colostrum is excellent for all puppies recovering from illness and helps keep healthy puppies well. If your puppy was treated traditionally and was on an IV’s drip for numerous days, it is especially useful in helping to heal the intestinal tract and should be given 3x/day at 2 to 3 times the recommended maintenance dose. Probiotics are also excellent to hasten complete recovery. Natural methods of de-worming your puppy should also be continued.
If your puppy had the heart strain of parvo, provide Ambertech Hawthorn & Dandelion formulation orally 4 to 6 times/day to strengthen and support the heart and circulatory system. Again, a raw meat and bone diet is supportive to provide the needed calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients the heart needs for optimum health and feeding raw chicken or turkey heart daily is especially excellent for them. Coenzyme Q10 is excellent for the heart and should also be given.
WILL MY RECOVERED PARVO PUPPY GET PARVO AGAIN?
Once a puppy recovers from parvo they should never contract Parvo again as once they recover, they develop natural immunity. For this reason recovered parvo puppies shouldn’t be vaccinated for Parvo again. They have natural antibodies and since parvo is a disease of puppies, annual revaccination is unnecessary and possibly toxic. it is always best to seek advice from your Vet. According to Juliette de Bairacli Levy’s once they recover with herbal remedies, they seem to have even greater health than they did prior to becoming ill.
Best of luck. May you Parvo Puppy/Dog make a full recovery.