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Vaccinate against parvo?

Species: Dog
Breed: border collie mix
Age: Less than 3 mon
Chester is about 10 weeks he was a stray he now has Parvo but I think recovering at our vets. I have two other dogs Tyson a Great Dane /Husky mix 2 yr old and Molly a Miniature Shih Tzu 5yrs old
Haven't kept up with their shots. Molly last in 2007. Tyson we got him at 12 wks had shot till then. In have been getting conflicting advice as to whether to get shot immediately, sme have told me no, might be infected and would be double leopardy, help!!


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm sorry to hear that Chester has Parvo, but also glad to hear that he is recovering.

The question that you've asked about whether or not to vaccinate the adult dogs that have been exposed to parvo is one that can be a little controversial. You may even find different vets that have different answers to this question.

If this were my case, then yes, I would vaccinate the adults right away. However, if the dogs have already been exposed to parvo the vaccine may not be protective. But, because parvo can persist in the environment for some time, vaccinating now could protect from future infection.

The argument against vaccinating now is usually that the vaccine could stress the immune system further and actually cause the dogs to be more susceptible. I do not believe that this is true. In my opinion, if they've already got parvo, then vaccinating won't make it any worse.

The good news is that adult dogs are less susceptible to parvo than puppies are. Also, even though the vaccines are overdue, the previous vaccines may still have some effect.

I hope everyone does ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

Thank you Dr Marie, Ill get them done today. I'm hoping against hope that as they haven't shown any symptoms they will be OK. but ill be watching them like a hawk for 2-3 weeks. do I have to separate Chester from the other dogs when he comes home


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

That's a tough call. It's probably not a bad idea to keep them separated for a few weeks as the puppy could have virus particles sticking to him. But in reality, the majority of the virus is in vomit and diarrhea which means that the biggest concern is any vomit or diarrhea that was already in the environment. Where possible, clean everything with bleach.



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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.