How to clean parvo virus on porous surfaces?

mjune0126 · #1 Jan 27, 2007, 10:53 AM

How do you clean the parvo virus on carpet and other porous surfaces as well as grass?

RubyPitbull · Jan 27, 2007, 11:15 AM

You might best be served calling your veterinarian and asking for his/her advice.

I would hazard a guess that for the carpet, a heavy treatment of an antibacterial based spray (Lysol makes one) would possibly work. Leave it on for at least a day. Make sure you have removed all animals prior to spraying and keep them out of that area. Then I would wash the carpet throughly with hot water. Use a carpet cleaning machine. As for grass, ???? I would imagine the elements would clean it. Can't think of any cure all treatment for that except possibly mix a little bleach with hot water in a bucket and coat the entire area that you feel has been infected. I would find out from the vet or by "Googling" it, to see how long parvo virus can live in an area that has been affected. I have always thought it was something spread by contact with other animals affected, not by surfaces.

RubyPitbull · Jan 27, 2007, 11:17 AM

Substitute the last two "affecteds" above with "infected".

Good luck.

labman · Jan 27, 2007, 04:36 PM

Bleach or 6 months are the only sure ways to get rid of parvo virus. antibacterials won't touch it. I am not sure how good bleach would be for the carpet. Might check its care instructions. You might also try bleach on a hidden area. I can't say spraying bleach on the ground will work either. For reliable information on parvo, see Canine Parvovirus, What you should know about

I often find dog care and training website lacking. I stick to ones I trust the organization behind them.

RubyPitbull · Jan 27, 2007, 07:45 PM

Okay Labman. I think I will wait for you to sign on and I will try my best not to be tempted to answer any more pet questions unless I am 100% positive of the answer :-)

labman · Jan 28, 2007, 09:12 AM

It would be nice if every post was 100 % factually correct or well supported opinions. It will never happen. I was pleased yesterday to come home and find several new questions with good answers. I did feel I needed to add more.

Years ago when I first started on www.XpertSite.com, there were many good people. I could pick the questions I could give good answers to and leave the rest to others that would give good answers to them. Many of the better people quit before the site shut down. Unfortunately, at AMHD, I haven't had any other good people that stuck around long to help. Yes, good people will disagree on some points. The dogs are best served if we work together giving the best answers we can.

RubyPitbull · Jan 28, 2007, 09:56 AM

You are a kind and rational human being.

inthedoghouse · Mar 20, 2008, 11:24 AM

[quote=RubyPitbull]You might best be served calling your veterinarian and asking for his/her advice.

I have contacted many people about Parvo as this is the first time I've encountered it's rath. My vet told me that you CAN also use Lysol!! It has to be the one that kills HIV. I looked and saw nothing.. so I called Lysol. They said that either Brand 2 or Brand 3 (this is small print under the Lysol logo on the front of the can) does kills HIV but Lysol kills SO many virus's that they can't label them all. Lysol 4 in 1 is good for mopping and such but the disenfectant aresol can does kill the HIV. Parvo isn't a hard virus to kill and it is airborn and Lysol does do the job. I was thrilled to hear this as I have been Cloroxing my self to death!! Lysol can spray on the walls, floor, carpet, couch and etc. MUCH easier than Clorox and bleaching the color right out. I purchased Lysol Disenfectant, Lysol 4 in 1 both spray nozzle and one that mixes w/ water to mop the floors.

Clean the kennel area w/ either Lysol 4 in 1 mixed w/ water or Clorox w/ water to clean kennel concrete or gravel. Don't forget the house. Remove the bowls and give them a soak and rinse also. Puppies under 5-6 months of age that have been vaccinated are at risk. If they get it once and are cured they'll never get the virus again so that helps my feelings.

Also vaccinate any puppies again that could have come into contact w/ the sick pup. My dogs have been vaccinated 4 times and one still got the virus. Finding out that ANY puppy under the age of 5-6 months is always at risk. Now that is scary! Hope this helps. It sure did me!

Lysol!! who'd of thought it??

carolbcac · Mar 21, 2008, 12:06 AM

I don't think you can ever TOTALLY sterilize porous surfaces, just because the virus is so tiny (I know that sounds funny, but parvo is small even by virus standards), and it can hide in all the nooks and crannies of carpet & so on. I have read different opinions on how long the virus persists in soil, but the general consensus is at least five years.
Disinfect everything you can, try not to bring any new pups into the home untill they are at least a week past their second puppy vaccination, and you have done everything you can. Realistically, we probably come into contact with contaminated surfaces every day.

(....Am I the only idiot out there who cleans the shopping cart handle because I am afraid that the person before me may have a parvo pup at home? I never think about doing it because I am worried about catching the flu myself, lol!)

Apr 2, 2008, 04:56 PM

I have parvo and I am freaking out because I don't what to do... should I kill myself?



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