Posted on February 2, 2014
Are You Smarter Than a Vet Student When it Comes to Canine Parvovirus?
I can still vividly recall the fear experienced in the early 1980’s when the very first cases of canine parvovirus were detected. This disease spread like wildfire throughout the United States, causing severe illness and often death. Fortunately, an effective vaccine was rapidly developed, and this new virus was downgraded from a rampant deadly infection to a preventable disease.
Chances are you already know that canine parvovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, is highly contagious (spread via the feces of infected dogs), and can be prevented by vaccinating. What else do you know about this disease? I invite you to find out if you are smarter than a vet student by taking the following true/false quiz.
Post your responses and your name will be entered into a drawing for a complimentary, signed copy of Speaking for Spot or Your Dog’s Best Health (your choice). The correct answers will be posted in next week’s blog. Now, let’s see if you are smarter than a vet student!
Parvovirus Quiz
- Dogs with parvovirus become contagious to other dogs (begin shedding the virus in their feces) at the time diarrhea is first observed. True or false?
- A dog is no longer contagious (shedding of parvovirus in their feces stops) approximately two weeks following infection. True or false?
- Once parvovirus is shed into the environment, it can remain infectious to other dogs for several months. True or false?
- Canine parvovirus can cause heart disease in young puppies. True or false?
- Adult dogs should be vaccinated against parvovirus disease annually. True or false?
- Some breeds have increased susceptibility to parvovirus disease. True or false?
- Canine parvovirus disease causes an elevation in white blood cell count. True or false?
- Antibiotic therapy is not warranted because parvo is a viral disease. True or false?
- The only way a dog who is sick with parvovirus can survive is by receiving round-the-clock care in a veterinary hospital. True or false?
- Unvaccinated dogs are three times more likely to develop parvovirus disease than vaccinated dogs. True or false?
Feeling as though you might know less about parvovirus than you thought? Think you scored 100%? You’ll know for sure in a week when I provide the correct answers. In the meantime, be sure to post your own responses and a free book just may land in your lucky hands!
Best wishes,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
1. False
2. False
3. True (the emergency room vet said to keep puppies out of our yard for 18 months)
4. True
5. False (I believe after the series of shots, they get a booster every 3 years)
6. True (I know black labs are more susceptible)
7. False (Our puppy’s blood count was really all within normal ranges)
8. False (they need it to prevent sepsis)
9. False(although it is definitely preferred. With mild cases they can be managed at home. Our puppy was on the fence, so we put her in their care, but they released after less than 24 hours)
10. I would say true with the addition of “at least three times more likely”
1. true
2. false
3. true
4. true
5. true
6. true
7. false
8.false
9. true
10. true
1. true
2. false
3. true
4. true
5. true
6. true
7. false
8. true
false
9. true
10. true
1-T
2 -F
3 – T
4 – T
5 – F
6 – T
7 – F
8 – T
9 – F
10 – T
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
6. T
7. F
8. F
9. T
10. T
1. F
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. T
9. F
10. T
1 – false
2 – true
3 – true
4 – true
5 – false
6 – true
7 – true
8 – true
9 – false
10 – false
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. False
10. True
1. F
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. F
9. F
10. T
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. F
9. T
10.T
1. F
2. T
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. F
9. T
10. T
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. False – can be treated at home but hospitalization is the preferred course of treatment
10. True – actually 3 times or higher.
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. T
8. T
9. T
10. T
1. False
2. True
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. False
9. False
10. True
1 T
2 F
3 T
4 T
5 T
6 F
7 T
8 T
9 F
10 F
1. f
2. f
3. t
4. t
5. f
6. t
7. f
8. f
9. f
10.f
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. False — it would be preferable but not the only way
10. True
F
F
T
T
F
F
T
T
F
T
1. False
2. False
3. True-
4. True – there is a cardiac form of parvo causes scarring in the heart muscle and heart failure.
5. False – Some vets do one time per year many more do every three years now. (of course that is after all puppy shots)
6. True
7. False – white blood cell count drops.
8. False –
9. False – around the clock care is recommended but it can be done at home if you know what you are doing. Please take sick dogs to the vet! That is the BEST care
10. True- they should be protected via the vaccinations from Parvo etc.
The figures could be higher than three times more
I have both copies of the book but thank you and that was good to retest my knowledge and look forward to next weeks answers
Thanks Dr. Nancy
1-F
2-F
3-T
4-F
5-F
6-T
7-F
8-F
9-F
10F
My stab at it
1/F
2/T
3/T
4/T
5/F
6/T
7/F
8/F
9/T
10/T
1. F
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. T
7. F
8. F
9. F
10. T
Fun
1. False- it happens before they show symptoms
2. False – longer
3. True
4. True – but it’s rare now I think
5. False – it’s a core vaccine so every 3 years
6. True – Dobermans are one breed that are more susceptible
7. False – it is low
8. False – they can develop sepsis
9. False – I am sure some survive but intense Veterinary care would be my choice.
10. False – it is higher, probably a lot higher