Can dogs catch Parvo twice?
Summed up… Miko is 4 months old. We got her at 8
weeks old. One day after we got her she got Parvo
and Coccidia, which of course gave her horrible
diarrhea. She luckily lived through that. She has
since been to the vet several times, had blood
work and fecal tests, and they have come back
clean. She has also had all of her shots now as
well. She still has really watery diarrhea.
Could her stomach or intestines be damaged from
the Parvo, and if so, how long till she starts
having regular bowel movements?
Miko acts perfectly fine, but I can’t imagine
her poor bum feals good. Can you help!!!
ALSO!!! One vet told me that since she had Parvo,
she couldn’t get it again, and another vet told
me that wasn’t true. Can she still get it again
if she’s already had it?
Lindsey
Costa Mesa, CA
Wow. It sounds like Miko’s life got off to a rough start. You have asked several questions, and I’ll try to address them one by one.
First, let’s talk about Parvo. Parvovirus (aka Parvo) is an extremely contagious disease of dogs. It occurs mainly in puppies, or in dogs that have not been vaccinated. The bad news: many dogs that contract Parvovirus die. The good news: dogs that do not die (such as Milo) almost always make complete recoveries. They usually do not suffer long-term health consequences. The intestines should heal quite rapidly.
Also, there are no 100% guarantees about anything in this world, but I can tell you that it is extremely unlikely that Miko could contract parvo again. Most dogs that live through parvo develop permanent immunity.
Now, let’s talk about Coccidia. Coccidia are ubiquitous microscopic intestinal parasites that infect huge numbers of puppies and kittens. They rarely cause serious health problems, but they can lead to long-term, frustrating watery diarrhea. They are hard to treat, and sometimes several rounds of medication are necessary to eliminate the problem.
Based on your description, I am suspicious that Coccidia may be playing a role in Miko’s ongoing diarrhea. You may want to consider treating for the parasite again, or doing a special fecal test (zinc sulfate centrifugation) that is more sensitive than standard fecal tests.
Of course, other parasites (such as worms, which also can be missed by some fecal tests), reactions to foods, inflammatory bowel disease, or (and this is unlikely) lingering damage from Parvovirus infection could be playing a role in Miko’s problems. But my hunch is that the Coccidia are the culprits. I recommend that you and your vet go after them first. If that doesn’t work, it will be time to do an extensive investigation into the problem with comprehensive diagnostic tests.
You have questions. 
Last summer (8 months ago), we had a parvo outbreak in a 5 month old litter. It soon spread to a total of 9 dogs ranging in age 5 months to 13 months. Of the 9, 2 survived–one with home care and one with vet care.
In response, the entire kennel was bleached repeatedly and every dog was given booster shots, even it not yet due. Since then we have had 2 litters with no problems. But now with a 3rd litter we have parvo again. The puppies are only 5 weeks old. Not even old enought for their first shots. The odd thing is that this is the same breeding as the litter that started the outbreak last summer. No other dogs in the kennel are showing signs this time. The pups have been at the vet for 3 days now and it is still unclear of they will improve.
My question is, could a certain breeding cause prodgeny that is predispositioned to contract parvo? The mother is 8 years old and has had shots a number of times. Also, if the mother is a “carrier” will she not pass anti-bodies to the pups? And lastly, are there other diseases that will cause a dog to test positive to parvo? If so, are there other treatments than would be used for a parvo case?
that question about catching parvo again was really helpful for me. i am really glad to hear that since my dog chico a chiuahuahua had caught it and lived through it. i stayed up for three to four days straight feeding him every hour by hand. and he pulled through and is now just as happy as can be.. he is also so fat now! lol. anyways just wanted to say thanks again for the answer and the information. it was really helpful. bye
Just to help you out with the diarrhea, feed Miko some white rice. You can mix it into her food and you can spoil her by putting some ground chicken in with it. The chicken is good for her and wont upset her stomach. Try to mix 2/3 rice and 1/3 of her regular food. My 2 Dachshunds had severe diarrhea for a week and I fed them rice 3 times a day and their stools were formed by the 5th feeding.
They both too survived coccidia. Good luck and I hope I could help you out!
my dog as only just got over parvo last week but he showing signs again no diharria but he bieng sick n really lathergic n his nose is warm do you think he got it again plz help im at the end of my thether