Oops, and can't forget our DISCLAIMER: This information has not been approved by the FDA or AVMA. We are NOT veterinarians. This info has been gathered and based on our parvo puppy experience working personally with 35 parvo puppies, along with relayed information and experience with thousands of parvo puppy guardians all over the globe.

The following material is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a trained veterinarian. This information is not intended as a substitute for your independent judgment and personal responsibility. Health issues are far too important to delegate to anyone else, ESPECIALLY dis-eases that can terminate the life of your beloved companion. It is highly recommended you seek information and counsel from as wide a variety of sources as possible, as in the end YOU make the decisions.

THE SIMPLE BASICS ARE IMPORTANT

1. TEMPERATURE - I'm a "Temp-a-holic", so I always monitor a parvo puppy's temperature. Holistic norm is 100.5 to 101.5, anything other than this is either a low or high grade fever. We use those nice digital thermometers. We ALWAYS tell parvo puppies WHY we are taking their temperature. If someone was putting a thermometer in my rectum, I'd want to know WHY! A sick puppy's temperature tells us many things:

   1. High grade fever tells us a pup could dehydrate more quickly, as they are overheating, so they may need extra fluids. A fever can also tell us there is a secondary infection going on for which we may choose to either be a little heavier handed with the antibiotic we are using or for those using homeopathic remedies, the high grade fever helps guide us to the appropriate remedy.

   2. A low grade fever tells us the puppy is chilled. When we are "chilled", we put on a sweater, jacket, or cover up with a warm blanket. The same courtesy should be extended to our puppy family members who have low grade fevers. No need to sit them on the furnace, but a light blanket helps them to keep their body heat in check, which can help them feel better and conserve their much needed energy for healing, instead of heating. A low grade fever also tells us that any fluids we give the puppy should be warmed to body temperature, as giving cold fluids would bring down the puppy's body temperature further.

   NEVER feed solid food to a puppy with a fever, as this can prevent recovery and/or make them worse. The old saying, "Feed a cold, starve a fever" applies here.

2. HYDRATION - Well hydrated puppies have dark pink gums, well, in those breeds that have pink gums to begin with. Very light pink, white, or grayish gums means one of two things - either the puppy has excessive worms or they are dehydrated. You can also pinch their skin to test hydration. Pinch the skin on your forearm and it immediately goes back into place meaning YOU are NOT dehydrated. Pinch the puppies skin, if it goes back into place immediately, this indicates they are hydrated. If their skin sticks and takes a second or two to go back into place, they are dehydrated. When checking puppy hydration, we use both the gum and pinch the skin method for added assurance.

   Hydration is important. You can lose a parvo puppy to dehydration or secondary infection, PRIOR to losing them of parvo. This is why parvo puppies are put on IV's at the vet office, to prevent dehydration. Dehydration causes the organs to work harder and the body can shut down quickly, resulting in death.

3. HYDRATION METHODS - There are 5 hydration methods that I have heard about. They are: IV's (Intravenous fluids); Subcue fluids injected under the skin; Oral fluids; Enema fluids; and placing the dehydrated being in body temp water. This last mentioned method is not something I would recommend, but I have heard of people doing this with parvo puppies.

   IV's and Subcue fluids are hydration methods that a vet or a person trained in these methods can do easily. We recommend IV's or oral/enema dosing, as we are hearing that Sub Q fluids are not releasing fluids back into the system fast enough, when a puppy is continuing to vomit or have diarrhea, so they can still dehydrate. Personally, we have always used the oral and enema methods to keep parvo puppies hydrated. If a parvo puppy continues to vomit oral fluids, we generally use the enema method to help get them them hydrated again, until they can keep fluids down orally. Using Parvaid, Pedialyte, and sometimes Colloidal Silver (aka Electrically Isolated Silver), per the Parvaid insert instructions we have found enema fluids are completely retained in puppies who are dehydrated.

4. ANTIBIOTICS - It is recommended to use an antibiotic in conjunction with Parvaid, to prevent secondary infection. Parvo can eat through arteries, therefore, Parvo can create a secondary infection. As noted above, a parvo puppy can die of dehydration OR secondary infection PRIOR to dying of parvo, so a good antibiotic is very important.

   When dealing with parvo, any antibiotic should do, though our preference has always been to use Colloidal Silver (EIS) or a natural herbal antibiotic such as Vibactra or Vibactra Plus. Both EIS and herbal antibiotics are known to kill viruses, unlike traditional antibiotics which are only known to kill bacteria and fungus. Plus, of course, being holistic minded, we always choose the holistic remedies, because we have found them to be far more effective than traditional ones. If you do not have a natural antibiotic though, use a traditional one, until you can get a natural antibiotic (cuz they really work better and more parvo puppies heal when using them as they cover a wider spectrum of pathogens). Just make sure you are dosing the parvo puppy with an antibiotic as directed to prevent secondary infection.

   Please note, we highly recommend using Vibactra Plus or Colloidal Silver in conjunction with Parvaid when treating parvo. #1 because Vibactra Plus and Colloidal Silver are known to kill viruses, which NO traditional antibiotic can do and #2 because too frequently, puppies are being diagnosed with parvo when they either don't have it or they have BOTH parvo and coccidia. Vibactra Plus or Colloidal Silver kill microscopic single celled organisms/parasites, such as coccidia protozoan (they do not kill "worms" like roundworms, tapeworms, etc.). Instances where a puppy is treated for "parvo" and their puppy really had "coccidia", puppies die, whether treated on vet IV's or at home. Therefore, using Vibactra Plus or Colloidal Silver helps heal puppies or dogs whether they have parvo, coccidia, campylobacter, etc. So ALL parvo like dis-eases are covered.

5. VOMITING - Parvo puppy vomiting can occur for numerous reasons. Make sure you read the following to make sure your puppy isn't vomiting for a reason that you can prevent.

   1. MOTION SICKNESS ~ Movement can trigger vomiting. Whether a car ride, picking your puppy up and moving her to another location, or just from the puppy getting up to urinate or drink. When WE have the flu, our tummy is queasy, and movement can trigger headaches, dizziness, and vomiting for US, just as it can for parvo puppies.

   2. DEHYDRATION ~ Being dehydrated can trigger vomiting. Dehydration is likely the single biggest reason puppies are vomiting.

   3. EXCITEMENT ~ If you go to visit your parvo puppy while she is at the vet's on IV's, the excitement of seeing you can sometimes trigger vomiting. The same as seeing you walk in the door after being home without you can trigger vomiting. It may also be the combination of getting up from a laying position (which they were laying low because movement can make them vomit) and being so excited to see you that they momentarily "forgot" they were sick.

   4. EXCESSIVE FLUIDS ~ Often, parvo puppies quit consuming water on their own, so when they start drinking water, WE get excited they are drinking. Our excitement is short lived, after our little parvo puppy gulps down a cup of water, only to vomit it up seconds later, in a massive mess all over the floor...We recommend keeping only 5 or 6 licks worth of water or plain flavored pedialyte in a bowl on the floor for the puppy to consume. As soon as they drink this water, we wait 10 minutes and then replace the empty bowl with more water or pedialyte, tho just enough for 5 or 6 licks. NOT so much that they weigh down their little tummies and heave it back all over the floor. Here again, remember, parvo virus is like a really terrible human flu. When we have the flu, if we drank an 8 oz. glass of water, we'd be vomiting too. Small amounts of fluids, frequently. You can give the puppy ice chips to lick also.

   5. EXCESSIVE ORAL DOSING ~ If you are dosing your parvo puppy yourself with Parvaid and your puppy continues to vomit after 2 or 3 hourly doses, you can make the doses smaller and give half the hourly dose, every half hour. Hourly doses can even be broken down into quarters by giving 1/4 the hourly dose every 15 minutes. Make sure the puppy isn't dehydrated though, as vomiting can be indicative of dehydration. If the puppy isn't on IV's or Subcue fluids and the oral doses continue to make the puppy vomit, "I" would give an enema instead. Enema fluids are completely maintained by dehydrated parvo puppies.

   6. EXCESSIVE WORM LOADS ~ Excessive worm loads can cause a puppy to vomit. If worms are present in your puppy's vomit or stool, contact your veterinarian or call us for a parasite tea recipe or give Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth orally and via enema daily.

   Excessive worms (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, or tapeworms) can prevent the recovery of a parvo puppy. Excessive worm loads can kill puppies. Worm overload symptoms are very similar to parvo and it is becoming increasingly common for parvo puppies to have worm overloads.

   We do not recommend worming with chemical wormers when a puppy has parvo as the poison can kill the worms and the puppy. Since parvo sheds the intestinal lining, giving a chemical wormer will be more readily absorbed into the puppy's body, plus killing the worms creates dead, bloated worms that release toxins: bacteria, viruses, ammonia, etc. that can and often do, kill puppies when they have parvo as well.

   We do not recommend stopping the vomiting in puppies who have excessive worm loads. IF they are going to vomit worms, we WANT them to. I want those worms OUT of the body whether through vomit or feces. Keeping the parasites in the body with drugs that are supposed to stop vomiting can keep a puppy sick and/or even cause death.

   Many puppy breeders start worming puppies at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age and their puppies are getting sick at 9 weeks of age or shortly thereafter. Most of these breeders rotate their choice of wormers, using Safeguard, Ivomec, Pyrantel, Panacur, Nemex, and others. Often, their puppies still have excessive worm loads. Read more information about parvo and traditional wormers HERE. Realize, that if your parvo puppy has been wormed on numerous occassions prior to coming down with parvo and they are NOT having 4 to 5 bowel movements a day, 9 times out of 10, they have excessive worm loads which need to be addressed or the worms can prevent their recovery from parvo. We do NOT recommend worming these puppies with traditional chemical wormers!

   In some cases, these overly chemicalized/wormed puppies' intestines swell shut, meaning just a few drops of oral fluid make them instantly vomit and NO bowel movements occur. We have found it essential to reduce the inflammation so bowel movements can resume and oral doses can once again be administered without instant vomiting. It is easiest to accomplish this with enemas and natural remedies.

   7. DEHYDRATION CAN KILL YOUR PUPPY ~ A lack of bodily fluid can cause a parvo puppy's heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, etc. to have to work harder. Eventually these organs give out and they can die quickly from dehydration, so preventing dehydration is very very important!

6. DIARRHEA ~ Parvo puppies generally have a dark bloody diarrhea, tho we have seen some with a bright red bloody diarrhea and there is the F-Strain where there is no blood, but a mucousy diarrhea, often a yellowish tan color. Regardless of whether a parvo puppy has dark bloody diarrhea, bright red bloody diarrhea, or the F-Strain mucousy diarrhea, we have seen all types heal with Parvaid and a natural antibiotic. There have been some parvo puppies who just have spots of blood in their diarrhea and others who have a total mass of complete dark or bright red diarrhea.

   1. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, due to the loss of fluids. IF we are personally dealing with a parvo puppy who has a massive amount of fluid loss through diarrhea, we often make it a point to given them oral or enema fluids shortly thereafter, within 15 minutes or so, to replace the fluid loss, rather than waiting for their next scheduled hourly dose, to help prevent dehydration.

   2. Many people want to stop the diarrhea with kaopectate or similar over the counter remedies or drugs. In the holistic world, it is said that diarrhea is the body's way of trying to rid itself of something that is making it sick, so stopping the diarrhea isn't necessarily a good thing. And infact, it can actually make a puppy worse, by not allowing its body to get rid of what is making it ill quickly.

   3. One of parvo's most tell tale signs is "constant" bowel movements. Parvo puppies have bowel movements at least 4+ times/day. Even though a parvo puppy is not eating and may not have eaten for a few days, the lining of their intestines is shedding, which is what creates the constant bowel movements.

   4. IF a parvo puppy is NOT having bowel movements, 9 times out of 10, the reason is because they are infested with worms. Go to our section on Worming, above to read about handling excessive worm loads in parvo puppies.

7. LETHARGY ~ Parvo puppies do not feel well, hence, they are lethargic. Just as we are lethargic when we have the flu. We believe it is important to give them lots of tlc, time, attention, and be at their beckon call, just as we would want someone to be there for us if we were so sick. We also believe, it is important for them to be able to recover in a household that is conducive of getting better. Not saying we want them glued to a hospital bed, but that excessive noise and play with other family members is best kept to a minimum, to help allow them to heal.

8. HOME TREATMENT ~ Due to the fact that we did not have $4800-$7200.00 cash to treat our own parvo puppies in 2001, we did the home treatment route with Parvaid and Colloidal Silver (CS). This experience enlightened us greatly to home treatment, as have the other 22 parvo puppies people have brought us to help heal them with Parvaid and CS. The following are important guidelines for those desiring to treat their own parvo puppies at home:

   1. Some parvo puppies are relatively easy to heal and within the first few doses of Parvaid they are starting to consume fluids on their own, quit vomiting, and within 12-24 hours they are eating. This is NOT always the case with all puppies. If you are thinking of treating your parvo puppy at home, keep in mind that the worst puppies we have worked with required every hour on the hour oral or enema dosing for 24-48 hours straight. Meaning, you might need some assistance, so you can get some sleep. IF you are using IV's, dosing can be easier, but you "should" dose the oral drops of Parvaid every hour on the hour until the puppy is consuming fluids and beginning to eat. "Some" people have thought they could just dose the Parvaid in their parvo puppy's waterer, but if a parvo puppy isn't consuming fluids on it's own, it surely won't be getting the Parvaid every hour on the hour.

   2. Some people take their parvo puppy to the vet and leave them on IV fluids while they go to their jobs during the day and pick their parvo puppy up in the evening and treat with Parvaid throughout the night time hours. Others take their sick puppy to the vet and have the vet administer subcue fluids and then take them home and administer the hourly oral doses of Parvaid.

   3. If you are treating a parvo puppy(ies) at home, we recommend keeping a record of everything you do and every thing the puppy does. Kind of like a doctor's chart. Every oral dose you give, every temperature you take, every antibiotic dose, every time the puppy has diarrhea, along with what color it was, every time the puppy vomits, etc. This helps YOU to remember when you gave the last dose, plus it is useful if someone else helps to care for the puppy while you get a 2 hour cat nap. They can see how the puppy has been doing, as well as read what doses you have been giving.

   4. Although we have had great success helping 35 out of 36 parvo puppies to heal with Parvaid and we KNOW Parvaid works without a doubt, each and every parvo puppy that comes here has my heart on the floor. I cannot sleep until they recover and it is ALWAYS a nightmare, regardless of the fact 22 of these puppies were not even my own. Healing them at home can be a lot of work, but the blessing is when they heal and YOU can get some sleep. Well, when they've healed you still might not get much sleep as then they are running around, barking, licking, eating, getting into puppy trouble and wanting YOU to play with them! You have a best friend for life!

9. ENEMAS...OH MY! ~ Enemas are not as bad as many people think they are or will be. Enemas are an excellent way of preventing puppies from dehydrating, especially if they are not keeping fluids down orally. If a puppy is not dehydrated, the enema fluids will come back out, but when they are dehydrating (do the gum and skin test above), their bodies maintain all the enema fluids given. IF a parvo puppy expels the enema fluids within seconds of giving an enema, its intestines may have tortioned (twisted). IF this occurs, you should get your puppy to a vet immediately.

   You can give an enema with a fleet enema bag, an infant enema bag, a bulb syringe, or a standard clear syringe, like the one you may be using for oral doses. We prefer using clear syringes, as it's easy to see how much fluid is in them and it's easy to see how clean they are after washing. ALWAYS make sure to clearly mark an enema syringe with a good permanent marker and NEVER use an enema syringe even after it's been thoroughly washed to give an oral dose, as you can reinfect a puppy with parvo.

   Please note, there are 2 kinds of syringes. One is made to screw a needle into, which does NOT make a good syringe for giving enema doses. If using a syringe for giving enemas, make sure the tip is nice and clean, without that flowery thing typical needle syringes have. Here's a photo of a good syringe to use for enemas.

   Lubricate the end of your enema applicator with KY jelly, vitamin E, or similar. Make sure the puppy's spine is straight, as you cannot give an enema to a puppy that's curled up. We've found some parvo pup's have even lifted their legs while getting their enema (NOTE: MOST do not do this). Those who have, apparently realized the benefit the enema was giving them and they recovered the quickest.

   Administer the enema fluids VERY slowly. We pet the puppy and tell them why we are giving them an enema...to help them get better so they can be happy, healthy, eat, and play. Giving 5 cc's of enema fluids may take you 2 to 3 minutes to give. Again, do it slowly.

   IF your parvo puppy has a low grade fever, we recommend heating the fluids to body temperature, so their cute little furry bodies do not have to work hard at bringing the enema fluids to their body temperature. They need to be working on healing from parvo and should not be having to waste their energy bringing their body temp back up after getting a room temp - 70 degree cold enema. It may help make their recovery easier and quicker.

   If giving an enema still sounds gross, please know that there have been one or two Parvaid customers the past 4 years who, despite our repeated informing of the importance of enemas, along with the written Parvaid instructions, did NOT give the enemas and both these puppies died. When it comes to life or death choices, if you aren't giving IV fluids, or if your puppy isn't keeping down the oral doses, give the enema(s) - PERIOD. They really aren't gross (and even if they were, SO WHAT) and could make the difference of whether or not your puppy lives or dies.

   Just note, it can take 10 to 15 minutes to give a 45 lb. parvo puppy 4 tbsps. (60 cc's) of enema fluids. If you are giving the enema via syringe and the fluid starts to come back out, stop for a few seconds, pet your puppy so it can relax, and then slowly administer more of the enema fluid. So again, give very slowly.

   Please also note, the purpose of an enema is to hydrate a puppy so that they will be better able to hold down oral fluids. We do not recommend giving enemas 24 hours straight or in lieu of oral dosing. Enemas are needed if a puppy is vomiting excessively, but the goal is to get them hydrated enough so that they can keep their oral fluids down.

10. WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY PUPPY? ~ When a parvo puppy starts to feel better, it is best NOT to give them kibble. Their tummies are raw and kibble would be too hard to digest. When they are ready to start eating, we usually make up an "appetizer" plate. Giving the recovering puppy a choice of things to eat such as a little plain yogurt, scrambled eggs, small amounts of raw or cooked liver (excessive amounts of liver can cause diarrhea due to the vitamin A content, so don't feed too much - liver is also excellent to combat anemia from blood loss as it contains lots of iron), cooked chicken and rice, raw or cooked hamburger, low fat cottage cheese, etc. As they start eating, it is best to give them numerous small meals throughout the day, versus one or two large ones to help them recooperate more quickly and prevent overloading their tummies.

    We have ALWAYS given raw or cooked liver (we make liver treats by boiling raw liver for a few minutes until it is cooked enough to cut, then cut the liver into bite sized chunks and put on a baking sheet in the oven at a low temp till dry - these will keep in the frig for 2 weeks) and New Zealand Colostrum, along with raw soft foods.

    Do NOT force feed a puppy solid food, as this can make them regress.

    IF your puppy hasn't eaten for 3-4 days, we usually syringe a small amount of raw egg (no more than 1/5th their oral dose of pedialyte and Parvaid), colostrum, or yogurt into them. We personally have found New Zealand Colostrum excellent for soothing parvo puppy digestive tracts and to help boost their immune systems. They don't need as much as their normal hourly dose of Parvaid and Pedialyte, but just enough to give them some protein. These things are easily digested. A long story made us start doing this, but suffice it to say, we were helping 4 rescue parvo puppies heal from the F-Strain. Three of their siblings were on IV's at 2 different vet offices. They had the F-Strain, where they relapse. Two of the pups on vet IV's died after a week on IV's. One of these puppies recovered from the parvo the first time, relapsed, and recovered again for the 2nd time, only to die of a protein deficiency! :o{ As such, when pups have gone for 4-5 days without eating, we syringe a little protein into them.

11. HOW DID MY PUPPY GET PARVO? ~ There are many ways a puppy can get parvo. Here are a few examples:

    1. If you, your family, or friends come in contact with an infected animal without disinfecting yourself before playing with your puppy, you can give parvo or other dis-eases to your puppy. This can happen at pet shows, pet stores, obedience classes, shopping malls, etc.

    2. If your puppy comes in contact with excretions from an infected dog, he or she can come down with parvo.

    3. They say parvo is NOT airborne, but as far as I am concerned, it is. Consider the fact that a fly or bird can come in contact with an infected puppy's vomit or feces and carry the virus to your home makes ME think it IS airborne!

    4. Stress can cause parvo or any other dis-ease to manifest. Many dogs and puppies that are purchased from animal shelters or brought into rescues come down with parvo. Likely, due to the following: a) The puppy was unwanted by its owner and dumped at the shelter or found living on the street. b) The puppy was subjected to all the animals at the shelter (along with any dis-eases they may have had) and many strange humans. c) The puppy's diet was likely different than what it was used to. d) The puppy was likely vaccinated with a 5, 6, or 7-in-1 vaccine, plus possibly rabies. e) The puppy was possibly chemically wormed as well. f) The puppy was then adopted to a new home with another change in his or her environment, people, possibly other pets, diet, etc. to get used to. ALL of these things can create stress on the immune system of little puppies. Just think of how stressful it is for you to move to a new home and you at least have a choice of where you are moving to!

    5. It "used" to be that half of our parvo puppy customers had vaccinated their puppies within 3-14 days of a puppy coming down with parvo and the other half had not vaccinated recently. As of this writing, April 20, 2005, in the past 2 months, EVERY single parvo puppy customer who has called had just vaccinated their puppy(ies) within 3-14 days of the puppy coming down with parvo. This accounts for over 70 puppies coming down with parvo immediately post vaccinations. IF you choose to vaccinate, I strongly suggest looking into Dr. Jean Dodd's Vaccine Protocol or view some information on our Animal Vaccines page.

    6. Parvo Update: As of today, August 3, 2005, we are seeing less of the "just vaccinated" parvo puppies and A LOT of puppies testing positive for parvo that have heavy worm loads. Some with hook and whipworm infestations, others just rounds or tapes. Not sure if it has to do with the unusual weather we've been having in the U.S. (hurricanes, rainy, overly hot temps, etc.) or what. I only know that an overburden of worms can cause dis-ease and even death. IF your puppy has not been wormed or you suspect they have an overload of worms, consult with your veterinarian. Excessive worm loads can prevent recovery from parvo and they can also cause dis-ease. Chemically worming when a puppy is extremely ill with parvo can kill the worms and the puppy, so use caution.

    7. Parvo Update: As of November 2005, we are again seeing majority of the "just vaccinated" parvo puppies OR just vaccinated and chemically wormed puppies OR just chemically wormed puppies coming down with parvo virus.

    8. Parvo April 2006 Update: The past 6 months or so, our parvo puppy calls are as follows:

    50% were just vaccinated with a 5-6-7-8 in one vaccine, 3 to 14 days prior to coming down with parvo.
    20% were just vaccinated with a 5-6-7-8 in one vaccine AND chemically wormed, 3 to 14 days prior to coming down with parvo.
    15% were just chemically wormed within 3 to 14 days of the puppy coming down with parvo.
    This leaves 15% of our parvo puppy calls that were not recently vaccinated or chemically wormed.

    9. Parvo vaccines are modified live (MLV). Meaning, you are giving a tiny amount of the live parvo virus when vaccinating. As such, the parvo virus is shed from the body for approximately 2 weeks post vaccination. If you or your puppy come in contact with the feces of a recently vaccinated dog, it is possible your puppy can come down with parvo. This does not usually happen, but it can.

    10. Chemical worming can also lower a puppy or adult dog's immune system causing them to come down with parvo. We suggest you NEVER chemically worm on an overly hot or cold day. Extremes in temperature are stressful for us just as they are for our animal companions. NEVER chemically worm a puppy who is not well, unless excessive worm load is the cause of the puppy's ill health. In this case, I recommend being very careful and strive to boost the puppy's immune system with excellent nutrition, clean fresh water, possible supplements - kelp, vitamin C, echinacea, colostrum or others. Best yet, it would be MY opinion (and remember I am NOT a vet) that you should NEVER chemically worm at all. Would YOU take the chemical wormer you give your puppy?? If NOT, WHY would you give it to your beloved puppy? There are plenty of natural worming methods that can be utilized that are safe and effective. For instance, simple raw grated carrots are excellent at removing round worms from the system. The raw grated carrots simply wrap around the round worms and carry them out of the system, plus they provide a good source of vitamin A, and are not toxic to pets.

    11. We are seeing puppies whose intestines appear to inflame to the point of being completely closed - meaning no fluid goes/stays in their bodies and no bowel movements. This requires additional natural treatment methods to reduce the inflammation. If your puppy cannot tolerate one drop of fluid on it's tongue without instantly vomiting, please call us.

    We have had over 100 animals here the past 8 years and have never chemically wormed them or ourselves. Natural worming remedies - herbs, homeopathy, food grade diatomaceous earth, etc. are very effective at eliminating parasites without putting chemicals or toxins into "OUR" or our animals systems.

    When you start worming a pet with natural methods, it is best to continue treatment for at least a 3 weeks, in order to catch all the hatching eggs. We do NOT recommend you start worming one day with a natural remedy, then quit for a few days as this can produce a build up of worms in the system.

12. IS IT REALLY PARVO? ~ There are many dis-eases that can mimic parvo. Some of these diseases are viral, some bacterial, others are worms or protozoan. Here is a partial listing of dis-eases that mimic parvovirus:

    1. Campylobacter aka "Campy" or Campylobacteriosis Jejuni Parvo or is it Campylobacter?
    2. Coccidiosis aka "Cocci" or Coccidia (single celled organism - protozoa)
    3. Coronavirus
    4. Distemper aka Hardpad Disease (exhibits upper respiratory symptoms)
    5. Giardiasis aka Giardia (single celled organism - protozoa (trophozoites))
    6. Food Poisoning (i.e., salmonella)
    7. Poisoning (non-food; i.e., antifreeze, drugs - i.e., wormers)
    8. Intestinal Blockage (i.e. from consuming foreign objects)
    9. Worm Infestation (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms)
    10. Dysbiosis (aka Leaky Gut Syndrome)
    11. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Colitis
    12. Ebola virus
    13. Dog Show Crud (Bacterial Overgrowth)
    14. Leptospirosis (Bacterial infection)
    15. Infectious canine hepatitis (virus)
    16. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE)
    17. Heliobacter Infection (Bacteria)
    18. Addison's disease (Hypoadrenocorticism)
    19. Pet food poisoning - check this current list of over 95 recalled dog foods, effective March 16, 2007 http://www.menufoods.com/recall/ Many dogs and cats have died from these foods that are causing kidney failure and liver failure with vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, and dehydration (all parvo type symptoms). If you think your puppy is reacting to one of these recalled foods or the many other foods that are causing health issues/death in pets, go to our Pet Food Recall/Poisoning Webpage.

    What's really in most pet canned and kibbles you are feeding:
    Nexus Polluted Pet Food

    MANY parvo like dis-eases will test positive for parvo, such as: Campylobacter and Salmonella. AND, IF a puppy was just vaccinated for parvo, it will test positive for parvo for at least 2 weeks post vaccination, even if it doesn't have parvo.

    Being vaccinated can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and/or lethargy in some puppies for 1 or 2 days post vaccination. Traditional wormers can exhibit these symptoms immediately after dosing as well. When we used to vaccinate for parvo, distemper, lymes, corona, adenovirus, lepto, bordetella, etc., one of my canine companions would vomit and have diarrhea for days after being vaccinated. She was still eating and running around, but just being vaccinated caused her to have diarrhea and vomit for a few days after her vaccinations. I didn't correlate it at the time, but now I know this was her way of saying she was extremely sensitive to the vaccines.

13. VACCINATIONS ~ Every vaccine vial, human and animal, advises to NEVER vaccinate an unhealthy being. It is best not to vaccinate when an animal or human is stressed, which means not to do so on an overly hot or cold day, when having surgery, when dis-eased (such as having parvo) or during times of stress. NEVER vaccinate when your pet is ill. We do not recommend vaccinating at the same time you have your puppy spayed or neutered either. We feel it is best to wait at least two weeks between having them vaccinated and spayed or neutered.

    It takes approximately 10-14 days from the time a pet is vaccinated for their immune systems to mount a response to the vaccine. As such, for 10-14 days post vaccination, a puppy literally has no immune system. This is why we do NOT recommend immediately vaccinating littermates who have been exposed to a sibling with parvo. The fact that puppies literally have NO immune systems for 10-14 days post vaccination is largely why these puppies are the hardest to heal. As noted above, we strongly suggest you look into Dr. Jean Dodd's Vaccine Protocol. Dr. Dodd's is an immunologist and founder of Hemopet the world's largest blood bank for dogs.

    NOTE:We have NEVER had a parvo puppy owner call who had vaccinated per Dr. Dodd's vaccination protocol above which utilizes ONLY a single parvo and distemper vaccine, separated by 2 weeks with another SINGLE parvo and distemper vaccine. ALL of the recently vaccinated puppies that have come down with parvo are those who were just vaccinated with 5, 6, or 7-in-1 vaccines.

    Whether you choose to vaccinate or not, there are NO GUARANTEES your puppy will not come down with a dis-ease. Vaccinated and unvaccinated alike come down with parvo. As such, we believe it is of utmost importance to keep a puppy's immune system strong and healthy with the best quality nutrition you can give them. There are links to dog and cat nutrition information on our Animal Nutrition webpage. And more information on vaccines at our Animal Vaccines webpage. As well as daily fresh water, plenty of sunshine, exercise, love, tlc, proper training, etc.

14. WILL MY RECOVERED PARVO PUPPY GET PARVO AGAIN? ~ We had heard that once a puppy recovers from parvo they should NEVER get it again. As such, we experimented with our own recovered parvo puppies that recovered from parvo with Parvaid 6 years ago. Others have continued to bring us their parvo puppies, when our own were as young as five months of age, many with a different strain of parvo than the strain our own had and our recovered puppies have never again come down with parvo again. Mind you, we did NOT disinfect ourselves when working with sick parvo puppies and playing with our own. Once they recover, they have natural immunity.

    Possibly if a puppy was living on the streets or very poorly taken care of they could succumb to parvo again, but when people ask "our" opinion, we advise once their puppy recovers from parvo, we do not believe they should EVER be vaccinated for parvo again. They have natural antibodies and since parvo is a disease of puppies, annual revaccination is unncessary and possibly toxic to our beloved furry friends. Of course, it is always best to seek advice from your veterinarian.

15. PARVO PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT ~ PARVAID is useful as a preventative for puppies who have been exposed to the parvo virus, but are not exhibiting symptoms. Dosed the oral 2-15 drops of Parvaid (based on their weight), 4x/day for 5 days, along with the Vibactra Plus 2x/day for 5 days helps to prevent majority of exposed puppies from coming down with the disease, if dosed as soon as you know they have been exposed. Preventative dosing helped prevent 2 of our own 5 puppies from coming down with any parvo symptoms. Unfortunately, we did not know about Parvaid before our own puppies started coming down with parvo and it took 24 hours to find out about it and obtain it. This is why I recommend everyone who has dogs have it on hand "just in case", as if dosed immediately upon seeing signs, the puppies will recover more quickly and treating non symptomatic puppies "immediately" will help prevent them from having any symptoms.

    Our own puppies were 8 weeks of age when they came down with parvo. I made it a point to feed them ALL with one bowl, so the sick ones would see their siblings eating, knowing they would eat "their" share if they didn't eat. I made a fresh rosemary and sage tea and then mixed this in their meals of raw hamburger, liver, gizzards, etc. Even tho they weren't happy with the "tea" in their food, they would eat it, as they knew the others would eat it if they didn't...so I "believe" that feeding pups together might be useful in coaxing others to eat, especially when putting in ingredients they might otherwise not eat if fed alone. We did not force feed anyone.

16. TREATING A LITTER OF PARVO PUPPIES ~ There are a few things to consider if you are treating a litter of parvo puppies:

    #1 ~ WEIGH each and every puppy in the litter! Often, some puppies weigh less than others in a litter, so just weighing ONE puppy and figuring ALL the other puppies weigh the same can be a life - death mistake. EVEN if you think they weigh the same, PLEASE weigh each puppy. For example, one of the girl puppies weighs 8 lbs., but one of the boys might weigh 13 lbs. The girl's hourly dosage would be 2 tsps., but the boy's dose would be 1 tbsp. every hour on the hour. Dosing the girl the 2 tsps. would be fine, but over time, 2 tsps. will NOT be enough for the boy who weighs more and it would be terrible to lose a puppy simply because it wasn't getting enough hourly fluids. So, PLEASE weigh each and every puppy you are treating.

    #2 ~ We have found when feeding a litter of puppies, IF we feed them ALL in ONE bowl, sometimes it helps prompt those who aren't eating, to eat, knowing that their siblings will eat ALL the food, if they don't hurry up and try and grab a few bites.

17. THINK GOOD THOUGHTS ~ ALWAYS think good thoughts about your puppy recovering from parvo. Our animals often know what we are thinking and if we think, "Gee, I don't think my parvo puppy is going to make it", it is possible for them to pick up on this thought and say to themselves, "Gee, they don't think I'm going to make it" and then they will start to think this as well. After all, they already think you know everything, as you are their family and you feed and care for them.

    There were times that we had seen parvo puppies curled up in a heep on the floor, so very listless, not moving when we would come at them with their hourly oral syringe of Parvaid and pedialyte and we would literally have to lift their heads and open their mouths to give them these doses and I started to think they wouldn't make it. I would let their owners talk to them through the phone and their eyes might open or their ears perk up, saying, "Gee, maybe they didn't 'abandon' me here afterall". All, except one of the 35 parvo puppies we helped heal with Parvaid made it. After their recoveries, they are running around, chewing on things, eating, barking, licking, and driving me NUTS! Just like healthy puppies are supposed to do!! So again, always think good thoughts and keep up the hourly doses until they are eating and drinking on their own.

18. AFTER RECOVERY ~ Once your puppy is eating, drinking, and playing again, we suggest continuing to dose just the 2-15 oral drops of Parvaid, based on their weight, 4x/day for 2 days, along with giving the Vibactra Plus 2 to 15 drops twice/day for 2 days, to prevent a relapse. Even if your puppy was treated at the vet office on IV's, the 2 days of Parvaid oral dosing will help hasten their complete recovery.

    Feed small, light, numerous meals throughout the day if possible. Overloading the puppy's tummy with too much food all at once is not recommended. Monitor their play time, just a little bit, so they don't overdo it. Again though, if you used Parvaid to help your puppy heal and are continuing the 4x/day for 2 days preventative treatment to prevent a parvo relapse, your puppy should be fine without this monitoring, but for safety's sake, keeping an eye on them and not letting them overdo won't hurt them.

    We have had people call or e-mail us, who had their puppy treated at the vet office on IV's without the assistance of Parvaid, telling us that their puppy recovered from parvo a month or two ago, but they still aren't "quite right" and wanting to know WHEN will they be themselves again. I don't know what to tell these people, as we have NEVER experienced a lag time in the total recovery of parvo puppies who were treated with Parvaid - NEVER. As per Juliette de Bairacli Levy's books, once they recover with herbal remedies, they seem to have even greater health than they did prior to becoming ill. I never believed this statement in her books, until we experienced this 6 years ago for ourselves and I have now witnessed it numerous times with others sick puppies as well.

19. WILL MY VETERINARIAN ADMINISTER PARVAID? ~ Many holistic and traditional veterinarian's are presently using Parvaid & Vibactra Plus in their vet hospitals to aid their parvo puppy treatment protocol (and other intestinal diseases) and boost their success rate for healing parvo puppies and other animal diseases. Some veterinarian's will administer just the 2-15 oral drops of Parvaid every hour someone is in the vet office while a puppy is on IV's, others will not. Parvaid is not FDA approved, largely because it costs over $350,000.00 per product to get this approval, at which point, it would make Parvaid cost a lot more to people who cannot afford traditional parvo treatment.

    Some owner's take their veterinarian information about Parvaid and they decide it is okay to use as it is just a combination of herbs that can't be harmful. The veterinarian's who have administered the oral drops of Parvaid to puppies on vet office IV's have commented within 12 to 24 hours of oral dosing, the puppy is eating and they don't know whether it was the customer's prayers or the Parvaid that helped them recover so quickly. This is AFTER the vet was suggesting euthanizing the puppy as it wasn't showing improvement after being on IV's for 4 to 6 days.

    Some veterinarian's will not give the oral drops of Parvaid and after suggesting the owner have their puppy put to sleep, as it wasn't improving on the IV's after many days, the customers have taken their sick parvo puppy home and treated them with Parvaid and pedialyte every hour and most of these puppies are eating within 12 to 24 hours. Please note, these people get a good tongue lashing from the vet, advising it is "cruel" to take their puppy home and attempt treatment...the puppy will die...etc.

    It would be MY contention that if YOU have a puppy at the vet office on IV's and YOU are paying the vet bill whether the puppy lives or dies, YOU should have a say in the treatment of YOUR parvo puppy - PERIOD. It would be one thing if they chose not to use a remedy you suggest and if the puppy dies, THEY pay the bill or don't charge you (WELL, that's still NOT good enough, as we want ALL puppies to survive parvo and be healthy again and YOU want your puppy to come home), but it is my belief it is a totally different story if you are asking them to give something that they refuse to give and the puppy dies and YOU still have to pay the bill.

    Note too, the local veterinarian's office that cremated our 90 lb. great pyrenees rescue parvo puppy and euthanized our alpha male 8 week old parvo puppy (prior to us discovering Parvaid) does not recommend Parvaid, even after his vet techs saw our recovered Parvaid Parvo Puppies and we took them a sample bottle of Parvaid. One of his client's could not afford his IV treatment for their parvo puppy and they took a bottle of Parvaid to the vet that they had purchased at a pet store in the same shopping center and this vet told them they "wasted their money" on "snake oil"!! This parvo puppy was treated at home with Parvaid and is alive today because of Parvaid...

    Lastly, we have many parvo puppy people who have had their parvo puppies treated at the vet hospital on IV's for 4 or 5 days and their vet was suggesting putting their puppy to sleep because it wasn't doing well and/or they didn't feel it would survive. These vets refused to give the Parvaid & Vibactra Plus as the owner requested. Many of these puppy owners chose to take their sick puppy home, rather than give up on them and started the hourly dosing with Parvaid. Most of these puppies are eating within 24 hours...REALLY, I am not pulling your leg or telling stories here.

    Please note, the puppy owners devote round the clock, every hour on the hour oral dosing to these puppies. You can't take a nap from 3 am to 6 am, as a puppy can die in that short time frame. So choosing to bring a puppy home after having been on IV's for numerous days is an undertaking that requires work on your part and/or the assistance of others to keep up the hourly dosing. Many of the people who have chosen to take the life of their puppy into their own hands call us and ask for guidance.

20. WHAT ABOUT THAT PARVOGUARD? ~ Parvoguard appeared on the internet in April 2004. Here is some info about Parvoguard that people have sent us:

    1. Pesticide Products - Scroll towards the bottom of the page and find Parvoguard.
    http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=00183900101&DIST_NR=074104
    2. Type Parvoguard in the search box and hit enter - it advises Parvoguard is an insecticide.
    http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Search_Products.jsp#ProdSearch
    3. Selmedica Health Care - LiceRx http://www.licerx.com/selmedica-healthcare.htm
    4. Bad Business Bureau Rip Off Report
    http://www.badbusinessbureau.com/results.asp?searchtype=1&q1=222&q3=Cordova&q2=Tennessee&submit2=Search%21
    5. Rip Off Report
    http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff137787.htm

    We have had many customers call us to order Parvaid & Vibactra Plus, after they tried Parvoguard and it didn't work. One Parvoguard retailer quit selling Parvoguard, because he said Parvoguard didn't work and called us to become a Parvaid retailer, after trying Parvaid and finding it actually does work to heal parvo puppies. He has been selling Parvaid for over 2 years now.

    PARVAID has been on the internet for 10 years. Parvaid and Vibactra Plus are available in many pet stores, feed stores, grooming shops, rescues, shelters, and many veterinarian offices are using them and/or recommending them to their customers who cannot afford traditional parvo treatment.

21. WHAT ABOUT TAMIFLU? ~ Here is some information about Tamiflu:

    1. Tamiflu Consumer Information - http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/druginfo/tamiflu.htm
    2. Donald Rumsfeld Rakes in 5 Million for Tamiflu - http://www.mercola.com/2006/apr/4/donald_rumsfeld_rakes_in_5_million_for_tamiflu.htm

    Some veterinarians are recommending Tamiflu for parvo puppies. Of course, we get the hysterical telephone calls from parvo puppy breeders and rescues when products like Tamiflu or Parvoguard aren't working for them and the people are seeking a better alternative than dead puppies, so we can't vouch for their effectiveness.

    I can only say, from what I have read about Tamiflu, it is NOT supposed to be given to children under 1 year of age. And most parvo puppies are under 1 year of age. And the list of side effects are ALL symptoms of parvo, so it appears Tamiflu could actually make parvo puppies symptoms worsen. And the first Tamiflu website listed above advises Tamiflu is ONLY reported to be effective against human influenza A and B.

    Here again, YOU are the decision maker in your household. Use your best judgement.

22. DISINFECTING ~ It is important to disinfect all areas infected with parvo. You don't want your infected shoes, clothing, home, or grounds to possibly infect someone else's puppy. As such, here are some disinfecting suggestions:

    1. Chlorine bleach and water mixed at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 30 parts water. Be careful using this indoors and make sure you have plenty of ventilation. Many people use this mixture and pour it over a towel in a foot sized rubbermaid container, so people can come in and out of an infected home and bleach their shoes to prevent transporting the parvo virus with them.
    2. http://www.htproducts.net has a product that kills viruses and bacteria indoors and out, in carpets, etc., called "Kennel Care". Their telephone number is (800) 424-7536 and they are open Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm PST and closed Saturdays & Sundays. Tell them Wolf Creek Ranch sent you to obtain a special customer discount. And no, we don't make money from that, but because we deal in viruses such as parvo and distemper, they are happy we recommend their products and volunteered to offer a discount to our customers.
    3. Distilled Vinegar, water, and hydrogen peroxide mixed with antiviral essential oils and/or grapefruit seed extract have worked well for us. I always put lavendar essential oil into this mix (tea tree, lemon, eucalyptus...) as we are often mopping up around sick puppies and it helps to calm them and smells great to me. Great for cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms with too. Just be easy on the essential oils, as puppies can smell lots better than we can and we don't want to overload their noses.
    4. Wash all infected clothing and linens in hot water. Bleach, distilled vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide can also be used in the wash. Just note, all of these can bleach the color in clothing and fabrics.

23. WHY DOES PARVAID WORK? ~ The number one reason Parvaid works is because of the herbs Parvaid contains. Read our Parvaid Page for information about the herbs in Parvaid.

    Additionally, it is MY belief, and again, I am not a veterinarian, Parvaid & Vibactra Plus work most often more quickly than traditional vet IV's because Parvaid is administered orally, every hour on the hour and therefore goes through the digestive and intestinal tracts where the dis-ease is. Vet IV's keep puppies hydrated through the veins, NOT in the digestive tract where the disease proliferates. This is similar to keeping you hydrated by putting you in a bath tub. The herbs in Parvaid go directly to the intestinal tract to calm and soothe the digestive tract, stop the bleeding, boost the immune system which helps make the puppy feel better, and help bring back the puppy's appetite. The Vibactra Plus goes to work, again, in the digestive tract to attack the parvo virus and prevent any secondary infections the parvo virus can cause, plus it eliminates single celled organisms such as coccidia protozoan.

    Even when having to give an enema, the herbs in Parvaid and Vibactra Plus are absorbed into the system and permeate the body, helping it heal.

    And, often times, I believe they heal because they are at home with their family members and not stuffed in a cage, all alone, or with a bunch of other strange sick animals they don't know. The owners or foster parents of ALL parvo puppies we have helped heal with Parvaid would call us or we would call them while treating their puppies and we would allow the owner to talk through the phone to their puppy. So their puppy KNEW they weren't abandoned here with us. Some of these puppies were incredibly listless, but as soon as they heard their family member's voice on the phone their eyes would open or their ears would perk up.

    If you have a parvo puppy at the vets on IV's, I would suggest visiting as often as you can and of course, I would also suggest you make all possible attempts at getting your veterinarian to administer "just" the hourly 2 to 15 drops of Parvaid orally, every hour someone is in the vet office to help hasten your puppy's recovery. It would further be "my" opinion, if you can get them to dump their traditional antibiotic and use the Vibactra Plus instead, do it!!

24. STRESS ~ You say you are "stressed", due to this parvo you are dealing with? Try one or more of the following:

    1. Bach's Rescue Remedy
    2. Chamomile tea
    3. Valerian, Hops, and/or Scullcap
    4. Lavendar or chamomile essential oil is calming and relaxing
    5. Take some colloidal silver or Vibactra Plus to prevent you from getting sick too. 15 drops, 4x/day.

25. PARVO CONSULTATIONS ~ Most parvo puppies are relatively easy to heal by just keeping up the hourly doses of Parvaid and electrolyte fluid and 4x/day doses of Vibactra Plus. Within as little as 6 hours, some puppies are already eating, worst case scenarios generally take 48 hours of round the clock, every hour on the hour dosing, until they are 110% well again.

    I have contributed endless hours on the phone with parvo puppy customers for the past 6 years, 365 days/year, at all hours of the day and night, free of charge. Of course, the goal is for all puppies to survive parvo or parvo's imitators and be healthy again, but this has also consumed my life to the point of not being able to sit down to a normal dinner during the holidays (pups are ALWAYS sick on holidays) and it "stops" my life to a large degree as it is difficult to talk to someone on the phone while trying to shop in the store, do normal chores, including running my business, taking care of my own animal guardians, and trying to get sleep. I literally shut down what I am doing for these emergency calls. Due to the high volume of calls we receive and the fact that I have NO days or time off from this work, I am charging $25.00 per fifteen minute consultation for all parvo calls or e-mail consultations, during M-F 10am-5pm PST normal business hours. After hours, weekends, and holiday consultations are more expensive. Unfortunately, I realize some of the tougher parvo cases and especially those that either don't have parvo at all or have a combination of parvo and another dis-ease, many customers will not want to pay or be able to afford for these services, which means some puppies will be lost in the process. Hopefully, YOUR case will be a simple one and for those needing "extra" care they will be willing to pay a few dollars, just as they would if they called their veterinarian or other knowledgeable/experienced person for a consultation.

    Parvo is our speciality. I have provided LOTS of information, guidance, and experience in working with parvo puppies. PLEASE, PLEASE, read this information. Parvaid & Vibactra Plus have healed parvo puppies, even after traditional vets had given up on them after 4 or 5 days on IV's and the puppy owner REFUSED to give up on their puppy so took them home to administer Parvaid & Vibactra Plus, against their vet's recommendations of course and many, but NOT all are eating within 24 hours.

    BUT there are some cases that are tougher:

    a. Those with excessive worm loads.
    b. Those with aflatoxin poisoning from kibbles that have been recalled.
    c. Those with salmonella poisoning which can be gotten from mouse, rat, or bird feces in the yard or bad poultry - chicken, turkey, etc.
    d. Those with severely inflammed intestinal tracts that can COMPLETELY close up, which is NOT normal, but it occurs in some puppies who have been overly subjected to chemical wormers and sometimes vaccinations.
    e. Those whose liver is thrashed from the chemical wormers, vacc's, poisoning and upon autopsy show the liver had turned to mush.

    It has been my experience that IF the diagnosis is correctly made and most often the puppy's history and sometimes the history of the parents can help determine where there are issues that need to be dealt with to help the puppy get well.

    Again, most of the information you should need is on this webpage. Some is in the E-Book. MOST parvo cases are recovered within 48 hours of dosing with Parvaid & Vibactra Plus, IF the puppy is kept properly hydrated. For those who think they may have other issues, if you can't find the answers on this webpage or the e-book, we recommend calling us. ALL parvo or parvo imitator puppies are healable, some just need a little more help than others.

    IF you feel the need to contact us, we will need the following information:

    1. Age and weight of puppy
    2. Worming (and whether you've seen worms in the stool or vomit) and vaccination history
    3. Type of food you normally feed your puppy
    4. Puppy's current rectal temperature
    5. Frequency, consistency, smell, and color of puppy's bowel movements
    6. Color of puppy's gums and results of the skin hydration pinch test
    7. Frequency, consistency, smell, and color of puppy's vomiting
    8. Name, city, state, phone number

    To purchase a block of parvo or parvo imitator consultation time, click HERE. Then call us (951) 674-0921 OR E-Mail Us.

    Last updated January 5, 2008 - More to come as time permits.

    CLICK HERE TO ORDER PARVAID & VIBACTRA PLUS