My daughter who lives in California got a new puppy less than 2weeks ago .Today she phoned me and tol me the little thing is ill and the vet diagnosed Parvo. I was shocked as with vaccinations today I have not known it occur with anyone I know.
She didn't know anything about the disease and as the pup had been nowhere but their garden was at a loss to know how she had got it.
The pup was 8 weeks when she got it and she has only had her 10 days. It had had some jabs but not parvo as that was due at 14 weeks? Why don't know. She had not had the second lot of jabs done as poor little thing was not old enough yet.

Puppy is at the vets being given drip and antibiotics and is eating although still very poorly. The vet said she has an 80 per cent chance of pulling through. As she has not had time to get her insured it is costing 3000 dollars.

It is a mystery where this infection came from as there are no dogs anywhere near the garden and the pup has been nowhere. My daughter did wonder if some wild animal had been in the garden..There are coyotes and skunks sometimes in the roads but they have never seen anything in the garden. The vet says with the incubation period taken into account it must have come from the breeder. Funny enough the breeder has not replied to messages they can't get in contact.
It is such a shame as well for my grandchildren age 9 and 4 who were so excited with their little dog and now are in tears.

I wonder if anyone knows of a little dog who has recovered from this?

Not a good sign that the breeder isn't being helpful, can they find out if other litter mates are infected by other means?

Incubation is 1 to 2 weeks (with an extra day or two where the symptoms are subtle) so it could be either from the breeder or other animals - all types of canine can get it so that includes wolves, foxes and, as you said, coyotes. Cats can also act as carriers.

On the plus side, the pup is getting the best treatment and the survival rate is high - without treatment death rate is about 90% so your daughter has done the right thing for the pup and your grandchildren.

It seems strange that parvo didn't feature in the vaccines. Your daughter should ask about vaccines or the length of immunity after recovery as the virus itself is very hardy and can survive in the environment for a year or two. It can also infect via objects (fomites) these can be anything that has come into contact with an infected canine or its poop (toys, dog bowls, shoes etc.),

Edit : Don't know any dogs that got parvo myself, but watched a few eposides of PO'G at Battersea where litters they took have being infected - most puppies have survived, maybe one or 2 died (if I remember correctly they were weaker, smaller to start with).

Come on, little puppy!

Really hoping for some good new on this one

(Sorry, I can't really be of much help)

I ran a pub years ago and some druggies came in selling a little staffie puppy. I bought her to get her away from them and found out after that she was only 4 weeks old which was way to young to be away from her mother. She was doing other as I was bottle feeding here and weaning here when someone came into the pub to say they had bought one of her brothers and that he had sadly died that day of Parvos. A couple of days later I noticed my pup was starting to get ill so I took her to the vet straight away. She was kept in for two or three days on a drip but she responded well and was absolutely fine. She died a couple of years ago at the age of 15.

Your pup is in the best place and sounds like it's doing well especially as it's eating as it must be feeling better in itself. Let us all know how it gets on but sounds like it's on the road to recovery x

Thank you to the above 3 replies I will post later this evening when I have spoken to them again and know the latest.
Since posting this I have looked up likely causes of infection and squirrels can carry the virus. For sure their garden is a playground for squirrels so possibly it's that. Perhaps that is true of UK squirrels too in which case it would seem an unprotected pup should be kept indoors for a few weeks. Not ideal.

I agree she needs to make a real effort to persist in contacting the breeder who needs to know this has happened at least.

Good news it seems the puppy is recovering well and may go home tomorrow.

oh brilliant! thank you for that update

I just came on this thread to ask how the pup was getting on and I can see it's good news, that's brilliant x

Hugs for the puppy! (((((Hug)))))