We adopted a lab mix puppy from the pound. Found out she had Parvo 5 days later. She has been in a 24 hr. ER since Friday. We caught it early (before the bloody diarrhea). Sunday she took a huge turn for the worse, but seems to be slowly improving... She has had two plasma transfusions, feeding tube, etc...

Her vomiting and diarrhea has lessened, but she still will not eat. I took her KONG to her last night with some wet dog food and she licked about a teaspoon total. They are giving her a liquid diet to help with her protein.

How can we get her to eat? If we take her home, will she still not WANT to eat, and how dangerous is it for her to not eat? She needs protein so her body won't "leak". Will she just start to eat on her own?? When she is ready?

I cannot STRESS to those who get puppies, to vaccinate them. Although the pound SAID they did on 2/3, Our puppie still got it. She really was on death's door. This is basically a finiancial disease if you catch it early. We are almost $2000 into saving her life. Not that we can afford to throw $2000 away (which we aren't THROWING it away), there are some people who adopt puppies who have VERY VERY little money (maybe they should adopt a dog) who would have to have their puppy put down.

There is still a chance, after all of this money, that she might not make it. That is so sad. This is a TERRIBLE virus! PLEASE watch your puppies carefully... watch where you walk them... do not let them play with other puppies until they are older...

Anyway, thanks for answering my questions...
Leesa

Since your puppy is under the care of a vet, I would depend on the vet for advice on eating. Until the parvo is controlled, any food will go right through. Parvo destroys the lining of the intestines making it impossible to absorb fluids or nutrients. Your vet knows far more about the specifics of your puppy and transitioning it back to solid food than anyone here. For what you are paying, you will be entitled to the proper instructions when your puppy is able to go home.

Yes, even if the puppy lives, the owner's wallet may not. If you browse beck through the dog forum, you will find horror story after horror story about parvo, including puppies bought from breeders.

Understand the vital importance of not exposing a puppy to parvo. Vaccinations or not, one sniff of where a sick dog eliminated in the last 6 months at the wrong time, is enough to kill a puppy. I am giving you a link to a trustworthy site that explains it better than I can, Canine Parvovirus, What you should know about It is easy to find dog info on the net, but tough to sort out the good from the bad.