Parvo Virus Questions

[LaurelLynn]

Does anyone know for sure if parvo can be spread to other species, ie squirrels? It's my understanding that it's specific to only canines, BUT I would really appreciate confirmation of this

Our sons friend showed up late the other night with a sick dog and wanted me to 'fix him'... I'm not a flipping vet! :tap I said I highly suspected parvo (despite their claims it had it's puppy shots), firmly told them to take to the emergency vet clinic asap and even called a clinic for them. I gave fluids however, because the poor little guy was SO SO sick

The next afternoon they called and asked me to give fluids again. I asked why the VET didn't do it. ... "well he perked up after you gave fluids and I figured he was doing better. I have some saline solution for soaking, but I don't have a needle" :bash :bash

I was not very polite when I informed them without a vet it was going to die and injecting a nonsterile tap water mixed solution was an idiotic idea.

Anyway, they went to vet. Positive for parvo. Put dog down because'my friend breeds them,I can get another' :frustratedx :madd :pissed

So, 1. I'm paranoid about parvo because of my experiences working in vet clinics 2. I've bleached every surface daily for the last 3 days and 3. Although I'm fairly certain it's not contagious to other species, I could really use some second opinions

Did I mention that I HATE parvo and I'm irrationally paranoid about it? Ugh! :skwredup

[FlyingEmily]

Racoons can get a kind of parvo but it is different than the kind dogs get. Squirrels cannot get it but wild canids could. Make sure when you're cleaning that you use the proper dilution of bleach (1:32). Stronger doesn't make it more effective and can actually make it less effective. So sorry about the puppy :hug It sounds like the owner had a case of stupid and we all know you can't fix stupid :bash

[Liza]

If you are worried about parvo spreading to your squirrels, don't. Parvo is species-specific...that is, there are variations of parvo that infect various species, but they can't be passed from one species to another.. Thus, only dogs can get canine parvo, only pigs can get porcine parvo, etc. Here is a quote from PetMd..."There are some dozens of species of parvovirus within the familial classification, but they are all limited to their taxonomic units. That is, mouse parvovirus is limited to mice, hamsters and other rodents of its order, porcine parvovirus is limited to pigs, chicken parvovirus is limited to chickens, etc. In the same regard, dogs and cats are affected by species specific parvovirus' -- canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia, respectively. In the canine family, the parvovirus crosses over different genus' within the family group, so that a fox can infect a wolf, or a hyena can infect a dog, and so on, but it is otherwise limited to the canine family.* The same holds true for cats.Likewise, the species of parvovirus that infects humans is limited to the human species. Viral human parvovirus is a common childhood ailment that is passed strictly by other humans."

And just saying, the guy with the puppy needs his butt kicked. I hope he decides puppies are too much work, and doesn't bother getting another one.. :-/

[LaurelLynn]

Thanks everyone :grin3 I needed that!

I'm religious about sanitizing and make sure my cleaning solutions are properly mixed, appropriate for killing the contagion that may be present and even have foot baths but I haven't dealt with parvo for years since working with domestic animals and that one always kinda creeper me out :-(

If I had known they were just going to put it down I would have offered to take him in (parvo and all) paid for hospitalization and found him a new responsible home :boohoo

[Duckman]

I like to think that there is a VERY special place in HELL for those type of people, who think any life is disposable, because they can get another! :icon_devil:burns:devil


:rantonofI just get so mad at so many stupid ignorant people, and this is just one of my many reasons!!!! :censored:madd:bash:gun2:frustratedx:hissyfit:piss ed

[Shewhosweptforest]

I'd say your son needs a new friend....or at the very least never needs help from him :shakehead sorry you had to be a part of it...makes it very hard and sad for you :hug

[LaurelLynn]

I've been so angry about it! Ugh!

It was actually a friends girlfriend and my son is mad about it also. We've always raised our kids to be kind to all living creatures.

And I informed him that although I obviously want to help anything that needs it, the next time someone wants to try to not pay a vet, they better relinquish it to me so I can

I can understand animals but most people, not so much. .. my heart breaks for that baby :-(

[Brenna]

I was told today that squirrels can get it from a Rehabilitator so now I’m about confused about it my baby squirrel was doing really well I have her on goat puppy powdered formula I’ve done a lot of research to find out what exactly she needed she fell from a very long way up a little over two stories so we were surprise she even survived and didn’t have any broken bones that we could tell her poop was completely normal for the first three weeks she’s about five weeks now and she just opened her eyes but yesterday morning I noticed that her poop had a tiny bit of red blood in it so I kept an eye on her and then four hours later when I fed her again her poop came out black with blood clot‘s she’s not acting any different she’s not acting lethargic or not eating she’s eating her for cc like she supposed to have every four hours so that’s why I panicked and contacted a rehaber she told me that it sounded like Parville but it also could be she has a parasite that’s causing her bowels to be inflamed and forming clots so I have her on some medicine that’s a Deworm recommended by this lady I’m hoping that she pulls through I’ve grown very attached considering I am up with her several times a day and night with feedings I have witnessed her little eyes opening her first steps and her teeth coming in we have bonded And I don’t want anything to happen to her I’m hoping that this medicine helps her and the clotting stops and that she does not have Parvo

[CritterMom]

Usually, poop issues are the result of what is being fed. Parasites CAN be an issue as well - can you tell us the exact meds you are giving the baby?

Like human babies, they can all be different and tolerate different formulas in different ways. So our recommendations are always what works best in the vast majority of cases. I would recommend you first change her formula - but just slightly. I suspect you are feeding the Esbilac Goats Milk formula. I would switch to the regular Esbilac powdered formula - not the goats milk type. Happily, while it still ain't cheap, the regular is quite a bit less $$ than the goats milk type! I would make any switches gradual - don't go right from one type formula to the other. Mix up batches of each one and start introducing the regular formula to what she has been eating.

Can you post some pics of her?