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Parvo exposure: need advice

  • Jun. 23rd, 2006 at 4:47 PM
Calvin and Hobbes
[info]greengalnblack
Please forgive me if I'm mildly incoherent, but I'm really freaked at the moment! I live in a house with a garage apartment behind it, but the back yard, per our lease, is exclusively ours. When the new tenant moved in 2 months ago, she asked if her dog could use the backyard too. I asked her if hers was vaccinated and friendly, and she said he was both (and he is).

Several days ago, she rescued a puppy that was found roaming near her office. She brought it home and attempted to find a home for it.

Today, I got a voice mail message from the tenant that the puppy has parvo, is very sick, and likely won't live. I don't know if my dog had actual contact with the puppy, but I do know for sure that they shared the same areas in the yard and potentially even the same toys, since the tenant is bad about leaving her dog's toys outside (and thus, they get shared). Worse yet, some of you might have read about Flannigan in the past to know that she is 10 years old, has cancer, and thus also has a compromised immune system. She's been vaccinated against parvo for the 7 years I've had her, but she was due for her vaccination this month and I'm still scared to death that she'll get sick. If she got it, as old as she is and already compromised, I'm really worried that she won't make it.

My question for you guys is this: have any of your vaccinated dogs been exposed to parvo and not contracted it? I am wayyyyy freaked out scared and pissed off, and the vet tells me that it's highly unlikely that she'll get it, but I'd still like to hear your guys' experiences.

I'm off to bleach the deck and yard...

Thanks in advance for your input, and if you guys could keep Flannigan in your thoughts, I'd really, really appreciate it.
  • Mood: scared scared

Comments

( 7 comments — Leave a comment )
[info]soyouthink wrote:
Jun. 23rd, 2006 10:23 pm (UTC)
I was at the vet several months ago, when there was a dog that had Parvo there at the same time. The nurse came running out to me, as I was holding [info]n_pync's boxer puppy at the time, asking if he'd been vaccinated. When I said no, she immediately put us in a room away from the dog with Parvo. The rest of the dogs in the waiting room weren't a concern to her at all. I don't know if that helps ease your mind at all, but that's the only experience I have with it!

I'll keep Flannigan in my thoughts!
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[info]itsallover wrote:
Jun. 23rd, 2006 11:00 pm (UTC)
The pet store I used to work at had all the unvaccinated pups come down with Parvo. (Well, they were vaccinated, but the shots were no good, actually) :(

I used to bring my dogs in there all the time, to walk around and shop for new toys...and so I was very concerned because of their exposure, but, they were fine. Guess their vaccinations were good.
I'd keep a close and watchful eye, though, because of her compromised immune system.
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[info]courtney_phi_v wrote:
Jun. 23rd, 2006 11:07 pm (UTC)
I don't know much about this, but I will keep Flannigan in my thoughts.
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[info]ladiabla wrote:
Jun. 23rd, 2006 11:34 pm (UTC)
The vet / boarding / grooming place I work at has had a parvo exposure this past month. From what I was told by the vets there dogs over a year old you don't generally have to worry about. Its puppies who tend to succumb to it. That being said both puppies that had it where I work are healthy and fine now because it was caught so fast. I remember my friends father who was our vet growing up told us the same thing, older dogs - usually over a year - have no problem fighting it off on their own. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys
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[info]greengalnblack wrote:
Jun. 23rd, 2006 11:57 pm (UTC)
Thank you; this is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping to hear. Between the time I posted this and saw the comments, I spoke to my vet (she's also my friend outside of the vet office, was off for the day and didn't have her phone on her when I called initially), and she said pretty much the same thing.

I feel a whole lot better!

Thanks to everyone who has my girl in their thoughts; I really appreciate it!
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[info]philipjfry wrote:
Jun. 24th, 2006 02:02 am (UTC)
I wouldn't worry. We recently had a litter of puppies with parvo (it's a small rural rescue operation - we fostered them and all but one survived) and none of our vaccinated dogs were considered to be at risk. It's been months and none of our dogs have had any problems. Oh, we have 7 adult dogs. :)

That yard is contaminated, but unless you have an unvaccinated puppy around you should be fine. In five months or so, that yard will be unconsidered parvo free, I think, but it does linger.

Your baby should be fine.
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[info]knellis wrote:
Jun. 27th, 2006 07:37 pm (UTC)
How scary for you! Thankfully, it sounds like your Flannigan isn't in too much danger, but I sympathize with your concern. I'll keep you in my thoughts.
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( 7 comments — Leave a comment )