Have just read on the front of the local paper that in the past 10-14 days 7 dogs have been diagnosed with Parvo - 5 died, 2 survived.  The vet treating them said that he usually only sees 1 or 2 cases of parvo a year.

Whereabouts are you? As in county please?

Greenock in the West of Scotland :)

Doh.......thanks :D selfishly breaths sigh of relief that you are quite so far from me! But I hope everyone around your area is aware, damned awful nasty disease. :(

I take it the vet had the dogs tested and it definately was parvo?

That was my first thought too, but unfortunately the article didn't state what tests were done,  - I guess I was/am hoping they have it wrong.

My thoughts too Spender.  The Vets in Berkshire regularly used to frighten pet owners about having seen Parvo, but they had never done a lab test when I rang to ask! :(  It was always 'typical symptoms with bloody faeces and high temperature'.

People have often commented that Parvo has a uniquely distinctive smell I would imagine many vets would recognise it.

Thats what my friend says Isobel, she says its a smell that will haunt her till her dying day. No other smell like it.

I wish that they wouldn't do this.  There was details saying that Parvo was going around last year and I know of 2 dogs that were tested and it definitely wasn't parvo but a virus with similiar symptoms, luckily the dogs that I knew about survived!

On the rare occasions when my dogs have slight tummy upsets my vet's diagnosis nearly always includes the words 'it could be a strain of parvo'.  Interestingly he only ever says this when he remembers that I don't booster my dogs :)

Does anybody know if puppies have been vaccinated for Parvo if this actually stops them getting it or just lessens the symptoms?

According to Intervet, vaccines do not necessarily prevent an animal from being infected.

I don't know about Parvo, but both Intervet and Intrac say their vaccines for Kennel Cough don't provide complete protection, but reduce the severity of the symptoms. It may be the same for the vaccines for other diseases.

My first RR got parvo in 1985 when she was 5 months - she had been vaccinated.  Luckily she survived.

You'll find this of interest.

I found the remarks about the misshandling of vaccines by stores and adminstration by laypeople interesting.  Together with Christines remarks on this subject it got me thinking about the effect of this on the research emanating from countries that allow these practices.  People sometimes comment that these matters are the same worldwide but clearly there are very important factors that do vary country to country.

that is isnteresting - when my dog had these symptoms they always mentioned 'have you been giving him bones'?  because they knew it was something I did - and obviously knew he'd been over vaccinated'!!