My dog just died from Parvo?!?

Question

this dog was my baby and now hes gone...i woke up this morning to find that all he could do was blink at me and he had a horrible smell to him like he was already dead...he was becoming stiff too..

I never knew what parvo was, all i knew that it was a deadly disease.

I'm reading a lot more on this disease and I'm getting angry. Could my dog have survived parvo? Since he caught it, was there ANYTHING that the vet could have given to him to keep him alive? I took him to the vet immediately this morning, i ran in screaming my dog is dieing, they took him back and i waited there. There was NO vet on staff yet, they open at 9am, i was there at 8:15am..they said there was a tech there and they would look at him...the tech came to me and told me that my dog didn't make it, he was tested for parvo and they then put him to sleep.

They wouldn't even let me go back there with him! i know its procedure, but chico was responding to my voice, every time i touched his face and told him to wake up, he grunted, he was there with me the whole time....i just dont think this vet gave chico the chance, or didn't know what they were doing.

someone please confirm this for me and let me put this to rest, I'm in enough pain as it is...could my dog have survived? or was it to late?

i know ppl can be rude on this site, im upset as it is, please, if you have nothing nice to say, please keep it to yourself. thank you.

Answer 1

There is a good chance of surviving parvo if it is found early and the animal has not gotten extremely sick.  However I am surprised your dog did not have bloody diarrhea and stop eating for a few days prior to you finding him in the condition he was in.  From what you describe I do not think there was anything to be done for the dog.  Next time you have a dog immunization is the best way to make sure this does not happen to your dogs again.    

Answer 2

Its sounds like it was too late. If he was stiff then his organs would have already shut down. Did the test come back positive? Parvo should have had more signs.

Answer 3

So sorry for your loss.  I know how you feel and I'm sure you don't want to answer any questions.  I don't know that much about Parvo or whether they can still catch it even if they were already immunized but I understand none of the vaccine are 100%.  Both my dogs were up to date on their rabies for the next two years but when they had a tug of war with a skunk they had to get another three year shot just in case.

First of all I don't think they have the right to put your pet to sleep without your consent, they may not have been able to save him and wanted to alleviate his suffering but they must still ask your permission.

Different vets have different policies but permission isn't one of them, most vets will allow you to be there as they give the injection.  We were there for our last dog who was comatose and wasn't going to come out of it.  They even wrap him in a brand new blanket and placed him in a casket (cardboard) and we buried him at home in our pet cemetery.

Beyond The Rainbow

As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,

I was so very tired and knew my time on earth would fade.

I saw a wondrous image then of a place that's trouble-free

Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.

I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, and on the other side

Were meadows rich and beautiful -- lush and green and wide!

And running through the meadows as far as the eye could see

Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be!

My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new

And I wanted to go run with them, but I had something left to do.

I needed to reach out to you, to tell you I'm alright

That this place is truly wonderful, then a bright Glow pierced the night.

'Twas the Glow of many Candles shining bright and strong and bold

And I knew then that it held your love in its brilliant shades of gold.

For although we may not be together in the way we used to be,

We are still connected by a cord no eye can see.

So whenever you need to find me, we're never far apart

If you look beyond the Rainbow and listen with your heart.

Answer 4

I doubt that anything could have been done,but they were wrong to put him to sleep without asking you first,and they should have let you be with him. What they did was against the law,as he was YOUR dog,and you should have been given papers to sign to give them permission to euthanize and you should have had the right to be with him.I am always with my animals when they are euthanized and if a vet dared to do it without me being there,I would be very,very angry.

Answer 5

i am soo sorry for your lost... i am sure chico is in better place.. i am not sure but blood transfusion was an option but more likely wont help much..  i hope you feel better...  

Answer 6

That's horrible... I'm so sorry you lost your friend so tragically. :(

They really should have let you be with him, in my opinion...

There's a lot you might have to consider. Make sure you very thoroughly disinfect anything your dog came into contact with and don't visit other dogs until you know that's been done properly. The virus can stay alive outside the body for like two years (last I heard) and still infect other dogs very easily. So, try not to spread it to any others.

It's all too easy for a dog to catch it from others, be it them coming in contact with infected or carrying p**p, or a sick dog, or walking near your shoes if you might have stepped in remnants of the virus. So dogs should never be allowed near any that are apparently sick, and there should be caution involved even if they're healthy.

Your dog most likely displayed signs of illness before that you might not have caught, but if you get another one, keep an eye out. A dog's droppings should always be checked, both for worms in general, but in this case, for bloody diarrhea. This, vomiting, and/or lethargy are all signs of parvo. If you catch it during that stage, there's a small chance the dog can survive with IV fluids and medication.

In this case though, it was most likely too late, as his insides were probably too necrotic for recovery.

If you did pay attention though and this collapse was sudden, however, then by all means check about the test results, because in the majority of cases it wouldn't strike that suddenly, thus might be something entirely different.

I wish you the best of luck getting through this hard time. My parents breed dobermans, and we lost all but three of a litter of 9 to parvo 14 years ago. The only surviving male we named Lucky and we still have, though he's aged a lot now. Won't be long before he takes his own final bow.

Answer 7

There is a new strain of parvo going around, I think it is called parvo 2c, and nothing is working on it, and by the time you realize your dog has it, it is usually too late.  Shots don't seem to be working on it.  I am sorry about your puppy.  You did the best you could, and Chico understands that.  

Answer 8

I hope you know you could sue for this. you def. have a case. I just told my cousin who is a lawyer. She said that at any hospital they are to explain to you whats gonna happen and what they are gonna do before they do it. If they don't do it well then they evidently didn't follow procedure. Your dog could've survived if it was seen by a vet. and 7/10 it was too late reading the symtoms you described.

Answer 9

I am sorry for your loss of Chico. Yes dogs can survive parvo . Asking if it was too late for him is a question no one can answer on here. It would all depend on his blood work . There are several reasons why he was flat and almost non- responsive. Only by doing blood work and looking at his values could anyone make the determination on if he had a chance to survive.  

Answer 10

my friend had the same thing happen 2 his dog and the vet said there was nothing that they could do that is was to late but he tried anyway he gave the dog tama flu its is for bird flu or some crazy thing but it been a years or so and the dog is fine