Canine Parvovirus

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) has a number of different strains, and 2 different effects, the most common of which is gastrointestinal, the other is cardiac.

Mortality rates are high, up to 91%, but more likely in animals who already have an impaired immune system i.e. via stress (which reduces the immune response), lack of nutrition or are already fighting off some other form of infection/antigen.

Symptoms of CPV are vomiting and dysentery, consisting mostly of blood.

Traditional Treatment consists of:

An IV drip, antiemetics (i.e. metoclopramide) {which prevent vomiting}, antibiotics to prevent the risk of secondary infection & analgesics (pain killers) due to the intestinal discomfort caused.

A puppy with minimal symptoms can recover in 2 or 3 days if the fluids are begun as soon as symptoms are noticed. If more severe, depending on treatment, puppies can remain ill from 5 days up to 2 weeks. However, even with hospitalization, there is no guarantee that the dog will be cured and survive.

Natural treatment that has worked for me

Force feeding:

fluids, including electrolytes, colloidal silver & homoeopathic china
natural organic live yogurt, containing spirulina powder and honey
minced chicken containing spirulina powder & cod liver oil

A natural anti-virus was created by my homoeopathic vet, taking a sample of virus from an infected dog, killing it in vodka, diluting this with water, succusing,  & re-diluting as per the standard for homoeopathy. This was added in drops to the water bowls of the other dogs.

My reasons for choosing the above

The main cause of death in CPV cases is due to dehydration because of the constant vomiting and dysentary, or secondary infection.

Therefore, fluids & electrolytes to treat the dehydration

Colloidal silver & honey are powerful natural antibiotics

Live yogurt coats the gut replacing the good bacteria destroyed by the virus, which also attack the virus

Spirulina is a "super-food" containing more vitamins & minerals than any multivitamin on the market and a high level of easily digestible protein, necessary to re-build the cells lost to the virus.

Cod liver oil is high in Vitamin D, known to boost the immune system to 3 times it's normal strength.

China is known to combat symptoms similar to malaria, which is how CPV 1st presents.

The homoeopathic vaccine, created specifically from the strain of virus my dogs had been exposed to, was an immediate and permenant way to protect them from that particular strain for life.

Aftershock & Clean Up

CPV is shed in faeces for up to 6 weeks post recovery & can survive on surfaces (even outside) for up to 6 months, therefore destroying it is of vital importance.

Whilst there are many expensive cleaning products & disinfectants on the market that claim to kill parvo, in my experience some of them are not thorough enough & further outbreaks can occure.

Washing all material at 40 degrees or higher, will kill the virus.

Neat bleach is what is necessary on all surfaces to be sure that it is all gone.  Do not forget to do the soles of your shoes, as this is a regular vector for infecting others on leaving the property.


N.B. Canine Health 101 do not presume to diagnose or prescribe your animals illness, as by law this must be done by a registered veterinary surgeon.