How To Tell If Your Dog Has Parvo 11 Steps With Pictures

Parvo usually progresses quickly—lethargy is often quickly followed by vomiting and diarrhea.

Any change in temperature can be a sign—some dogs will have a lower-than-normal body temperature, instead. [6] X Research source

Since your dog can’t hold down food or water, they can quickly become severely dehydrated and malnourished, which can lead to shock or even death.

It can be hard to spot the early signs of parvo in a puppy, which unfortunately means the mortality rate can be high for younger dogs. Pay close attention to any changes in their behavior and take them in to the vet if you think anything’s amiss. [14] X Expert Source Ray Spragley, DVMVeterinarian Expert Interview. 19 February 2021.

The ELISA test gives rapid results, but sometimes false positives do occur, so your vet may recommend further testing, like taking a white blood cell count or sending a sample to a lab. On the other hand, more testing to confirm parvo may not really be necessary. The parvovirus causes severe illness. Since the condition is managed with supportive care rather than cured, it is not always necessary to run diagnostic tests.

This takes longer than an ELISA test, but the results are more accurate.

Hospitalization Anti-vomiting medication Anti-diarrheals Intravenous fluids