It's Only Tuesday???

Public Service Announcement

For Dog Owners

 

I was just about to write about what a long week it's been...when I realized we aren't very far into it! Things are going really well, only...my poor puppy. After a very sickly weekend for her, I took Sally to the vet. I did a little research to try to figure out what she had, but it really could have been anything. The one thing I hoped most for it not to be (and the only reason I decided to go ahead and have her checked out) was what she did indeed have: THE PARVO.


It's a very terrible, and often fatal virus for puppies. But all is not lost! Sally is a tough little puppy, and seems to have made it through the worst! It will still be a couple of weeks before I'll feel she's totally in the clear, but today she is feeling like her old self (just a little slower, skinnier and not as hungry).


Parvo pretty much sucks. Not only does it cause havoc to a poor pup's body, but it can be quite terrible to deal with on it's own. I had to embarrassingly tell the neighbors my dog just infected the entire yard, and that I'd try my best to clean it up(not fun in freezing weather). I'm slowly trying to decontaminate my house, and bleach is apparently the only remedy. Sally will be slowly getting better over the next couple of days, then about a month or so after that she will finally stop excreting the virus. Then a MONTH after that! the virus typically dies off indoors...and not for another 7 months (after the cold is over) will it be safe in the yard again for dogs. Sheesh. 

But even after everything caused from Sally having it, it still isn't nearly as bad as most puppies who get it. Get your dogs' shots!!! She had her first round, and that's more than likely what saved her life. It's a rather common, and easily transmitted virus. I also caught it early. If your dog shows signs, go to the vet! Better safe than sorry. And if you catch it early, recovery could be faster (meaning less in vet bills). Also, I was fortunate enough to have gotten her from a shelter who took responsibility for her condition, and assisted me in providing vet care. I've heard of most people adopting a puppy, and only a couple of days later learning they had parvo, and ended up spending over a $1000 on vet bills for a dog they barely even got to know.

I'm just grateful my little puppy is recovering, and that it can't be passed to humans.

Everything looks bright.