Companion Animals

Companion Dog Parvovirus Prevention

Parvovirus is a potentially fatal disease of unvaccinated dogs that causes severe welfare suffering but is entirely preventable through vaccination.

Key Facts

Canine parvovirus causes severe haemorrhagic gastroenteritis with mortality up to 90% untreated
Young puppies aged 6-16 weeks are at highest risk as maternal antibody protection wanes
The virus persists in the environment for months and is resistant to common disinfectants
Core vaccination from 6-8 weeks with boosters provides reliable protection
Puppies should not visit high-risk areas until 1-2 weeks after their primary vaccination course

Welfare Considerations

Parvovirus causes one of the most severe acute welfare emergencies in companion animal medicine - vomiting, haemorrhagic diarrhoea, collapse, and death over 3-7 days. Treatment is intensive and expensive; many puppies still die despite treatment. Vaccination is cheap, safe, and virtually 100% effective. The welfare case for universal puppy vaccination is overwhelming, yet vaccine hesitancy and lack of access still leave many puppies unprotected.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate all puppies against parvovirus following a vet-recommended schedule
Avoid taking unvaccinated puppies to public areas frequented by other dogs
Advocate for vaccination access through subsidised programmes for low-income pet owners