Dog From Pound With Exposure To Parvovirus

[Mangoe]

Hello,

Am new here and not wanting to get off on the wrong foot with getting a new pet.

We were due to pick up a lab x, 3 mo pup tomorrow from the pound however this morning they called to say that he was yesterday exposed to parvovirus. He and another infected pup travelled together to be desexed. The pound are saying he should be fine, he's returned a negative result and is having his vaccinations tomorrow and that he was bright eyed and happy this morning. They've agreed to letting me collect him on the weekend, I am to call on Friday to check up on him.

I went to the local vet to ask their advice;

The receptionist instantly said don't take him but then hearing all the information said ask them to hold him a further 10 days from exposure and retest.

A vet came out and said wait 5 days and retest.

I don't know what to do.

Is it reasonable / Will the pound to be happy to hold any further time and retest?

Is this going to turn into something bigger and costly ie. are there any long term effects to think about?

What is the incubation time?

It's complicated by it being an early Christmas present for our young children. They have met him and given him a name so I am unsure how to progress.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[~Anne~]

I'd take the advice of your vet. The pound should understand although it is possible that they may also be concerned with space at the pound. If he has parvo and you bring him home, you are going to be opening up your home to a highly infectious disease. Every pup and dog, young or old, that enters your property is at risk for 12 months or more after.

I'd see if you could pick him up Xmas eve. I'm rusty on the incubation time though so hopefully someone will respond who knows this.

[Dame Aussie]

I agree with Anne. I think from memory incubation can be from about 3-7 days but can be as long as two weeks. I think as long as he tests negative in the next week or so you should be fine.

[aliwake]

Do you have any other dogs at home?

Do you know how many vaccinations your pup has already had? Should possibly have had 2 by that age?

Maybe see if they will hold him til monday and re-test? That would more than cover the 5 days the vet suggested.

Would be best to be safe. Your kids will feel even worse if you take him home, then he gets sick and doesn't make it... Not to mention treatment for a sick pup will be very expensive for you. I would suggest getting pet insurance as soon as you have him! I can highly recommend petplan.

[juice]

If you bring him home and he does get it, you will be up for thousands in vet bills ,or he will die and and the kids will be even more upset.

I would air on caution, see how the pound react to keeping him longer.

If you do bring him home and he has it, your ground at home will be infected for years, so you won't be able to bring in a pup again for a long time.

[tdierikx]

Ask the pound to hold him in isolation from other dogs for the next 7 days minimum - redo the parvo test after 5 days.

Do not vaccinate with a live virus vaccine - Parvac is OK, but only does parvo... if pup is vaccinated with a live virus, he will test positive for parvo for aup to 7-10 days after being vaccinated... and you want to be sure he doesn't have it before you even consider bringing him home.

If he is not positive for parvo after 5 days, then you could possibly be safe to vaccinate him properly then and take him home.

T.

[gillbear]

I would ask if your vet can offer quarantine boarding. If pup stays at the pound for quarantine you risk exposure during the quarantine period. Parvo is an unfortunate risk for all Sydney pounds during summer especially. If your pup is black and tan the risk is even greater.

Edited December 17, 2013 by gillbear

[Nic.B]

Was the infected puppy a littermate?

At three months hopefully he has had at least one vaccination prior to impound. I agree with Gillbear board/quarentine with the vet who vetworked him as there is a chance he may be infected at the shelter if he returns.

Fingers crossed all goes smoothly.

[frufru]

Take your vets advice pup could definitely still get Parvo - many return a negative result in the early stages

[Mangoe]

Hello,

Thank you all so much for responding. I was still undecided on what to do when the pound called me. He was vaccinated this morning. When they went to check his temp they discovered a small amount of blood so retested and it came back positive. He hadn't passed a bloody stool and was still bright eyed. She also said it could be positive from the vaccination. They sent him straight to the vet where he is going to stay in isolation for a few days and the pound said as soon as they hear anything they will let me know.

Thanks again for the speedy replies (so helpful!). To answer a few questions, we don't currently have any pets and I don't know if he was a littermate. I don't think he was as he was listed on his own. I'm not sure if he had any vaccinations, the pound don't know and I'm not sure if he was surrendered or a stray.

He had what they told me are called a few hot spots which are being treated with antibiotic ointment but apart from that he seemed a lovely and healthy pup. Poor little thing being taken from one place the other - fingers crossed he pulls through.

[~Anne~]

Fingers crossed for you. Poor little thing.

[_PL_]

If he didn't have a microchip I'd say it's more likely he didn't get his puppy vaccinations.

Fingers crossed.

[Dame Aussie]

Fingers crossed for you. Hopefully if he does have it they found it quickly and can get him on fluids ASAP.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Aussie3

[tdierikx]

Not the best news... hopefully he'll be OK...

T.

[Erny]

I'm sorry to hear the disappointing news but hoping this little guy will be ok.

As an off-side question (to any forum Vets or people who know) …. is it wise to administer a vaccination to a pup/dog who has already been exposed to a disease the vaccination relates to?

[kelpiecuddles]

It's standard practice for many diseases of both animals and people Erny and has good potential to allow the body to produce enough antibodies to fight it. If the vaccine is administered early enough it gives the body a head start on antibody production to prevent or reduce the severity, if it is too late and the body has already developed the disease it won't make it worse.

It's the same as getting a tetanus vax if you step on a nail or a rabies vax if bitten by a bat.

[Erny]

Thank you, Kelpiecuddles. Appreciate the explanation. The "tetanus analogy" made it make sense. :)

[tdierikx]

The odds of the vaccination taking on a pup that is also on AB's for a skin infection are pretty low. No good vet I know would vaccinate an immune compromised pup...

There are so many alarm bells ringing in this particular case for me... personally, I wouldn't adopt the pup at all at this point.

Who is paying the vet fees for the pup while all of this is going on, by the way?

T.

[Mangoe]

Just to update, the pup is sick. He started vomiting yesterday. I was told that he hadn't passed any blood and was on a drip but that things were not looking good. I've not heard anything today so am hopeful no news is good news but I know it does not sound good. The lady I spoke to said she would call me as soon as she hears anything and would be working over the weekend.

They've have not asked me to pay anything towards the vet fees but have also said if he passes blood he won't be treated any further.

With regards to the hots spots, I was told they are not really anything to worry about - is this not the case?

Unfortunately this has made me feel a little bit uneasy about going this route again. I think next time I might go with a rescue group.

[mixeduppup]

I wouldn't take it at all. Just too risky. It could still shed the virus even if it doesn't get sick itself.