Home Remedies for Parvo in Dogs: Canine Parvovirus is commonly known as Parvo which is essentially a virus that affects puppies and dogs. There are two major forms of this virus- the more common one being the intestinal kind which is known as Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis. The symptoms include vomiting, weight loss, lack of appetite, and diarrhea among others. Whereas the second form is a cardiac type, known as Myocarditis. It affects younger puppies between the ages of six weeks and six months. This form targets the heart muscles of the puppy which often leads to death by suffocation.
In order to prevent your puppy or dog from parvo, you will need to vaccinate your dog for the Parvovirus. Dogs that are not vaccinated, especially strays, have a high chance of contracting the infection which will then be transferred to your non-vaccinated dog. It is prime to note that all rounds of vaccination are important for complete protection. The next thing to be mindful of is to keep your dog as well as its surroundings clean all the time. This is especially important if you have a little puppy running around as they are more susceptible to the virus. Household cleaners are hardly enough to get rid of the Parvovirus, so make sure you clean up the surroundings with one part bleach in 30 parts water solution.
Symptoms of Parvo in Dogs
Here are some symptoms to look out for:
- Lethargy: If your dog is unusually lazy and isn’t active, then it’s time to be more alert and look out for further symptoms.
- Loss of appetite: If your dog isn’t eating the food that you usually serve or is unusually fussy about food and refusing any, then your dog might be at risk.
- Depression: Depression in dogs is similar to that of humans. If your dog doesn’t want to play or doesn’t respond to patting then you need to look out for further symptoms.
- High fever: Consistent high fever is definitely something to watch out for as well.
- Vomiting: Vomiting is also another symptom to look out for but it can be caused by an upset stomach as well.
- Diarrhea: Blood in diarrhea is a sign of parvo, so make sure that you watch out for this.
Should you find your dog experiencing these symptoms, then be sure to immediately take it to the vet and get it diagnosed.
Sure-Fire Home Remedies for Parvo
On the other hand, there are a few home remedies for parvo that will help your pup fight off the infection and possibly recover from it:
1. Hydration
Once your dog has been diagnosed with Parvo, make sure that he/she is hydrated well through the day. Your pet might not want to drink water by itself, so you know what you have to do. Force feed your dog water, this can be done with a pipette or simple a syringe. Opt for unflavored Pedialyte or Gatorade as a means of hydration based on their weight. Ideally, you need to give your dog half water and half Gatorade or Pedialyte. If you need to force feed your dog water, then fill one dropper or syringe and administer the Gatorade or Pedialyte several times throughout the day.
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2. Diet
It is very likely that when your dog or puppy first contracts Parvo, it will lose all interest in food. A few days of not eating increases the stress on the immune system and it becomes difficult for the body to optimize the healing process.
Compared to all the other home remedies for parvo, diet is at utmost importance. If your pet has been diagnosed, run pancake syrup or Karo syrup onto their gums. This enables glucose levels to rise, giving them the energy to actually eat. Once your dog shows signs of improvement, administer simple foods like chicken broth and boiled rice.
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3. Chamomile Tea
Now, no common dog will want to voluntarily drink up on chamomile tea ,which is why you need to administer it with tact. Chamomile tea works really well to get rid of parvo as it hydrates your pet, enabling it to relax and sleep simultaneously.
Brew two bags of tea (make sure that it is 100% caffeine free). You could give it to your dog either warm or cooled. However, keep in mind that chamomile tea needs to be introduced slowly, and not force fed. Every half an hour or so, give your dog one ml of chamomile tea. If you see your dog throwing up after consuming the tea, don’t panic because it is perfectly normal. Give your dog some more of it half an hour to one hour later.
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4. Activated Charcoal
Activated Charcoal is produced by heating Charcoal with limited air and then activating it with water or steam so as to increase its absorptive surface area. It is extremely useful in stopping the body from absorbing any toxins ingested by mistake. If your dog is infected with Parvovirus, then know that activated charcol is one of the best home remedies for parvo as it stops the absorption of any food items in the stomach.
Activated carbon absorbs absolutely anything in the stomach, so make sure you don’t overfeed it to your dog. The dosage should strictly be maintained. Mix the powder in a cup of water, make sure you weigh it perfectly according to the suggested dosage before feeding it to the dog. Feed about 5-10 ml at a time in gaps of 15 minutes to see your dog on the upswing just after a second dose. Repeat it for at least 4 hours, and if you notice its condition improving within the four hours, you may repeat it with the same dosage but at an interval of one hour instead. Do this until your dog stops vomiting and no more blood is seen in its stool. Here are a few testimonies from dog owners who tried it out.
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5. Egg yolk
In order to get rid of parvo in dogs, opt for egg yolk derived from unvaccinated chickens. Egg yolk contains immunoglobulins and colostrum which eradicate the virus completely, making it one of the best home remedies for parvo. Keep in mind that this remedy should be administered only once you see depression and laziness suppressed. Also, dogs who are fed egg yolk are likely to gain weight faster.
You could purchase egg yolk powder from the nearest store or you could use fresh egg yolk. Mix the egg yolk powder in your dog’s food, or in water. Either way works, but you just need to make sure that your dog consumes the yolk completely for the Immunoglobulins and Colostrum to work.
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If your dog doesn’t show signs of improvement after trying out these home remedies for parvo for three days, then it is best you visit your vet. The key is to identify the Parvovirus, more than anything else, so ensure that you have your eyes wide open when it comes to pointing out the symptoms.
