Saying Goodbye To My Little One...
By candyfairy21
@candyfairy21 (2039)
Philippines
July 30, 2010 2:01am CST
I just lost my 3 month old male malshih Munchkin Kirby to parvo yesterday afternoon.I could not understand how he would get parvo when he was vaccinated 3x with the 5 in 1 vaccine. Both of the twins contracted parvo. Ginger cupcake went first and I was very worried because she was the smallest and her WBC was only 2.1 compared to Munchkin which was 2.5. When I noticed Kirby first passed bloody stools I immediately brought him to the vet and physically he looked strong but then yesterday I got a call from the vet telling me that yesterday afternoon before he passed away he was passing out more bloody stools.
I just can't comprehend how or why he got parvo! They gave him all the expensive meds and I was ready to pay no matter what the cost inorder to save the life of my fur baby but he soon crossed the rainbow bridge. My baby was on IV loaded with vitamins and amino acids, they gave him meds and monitored him and each time I called they would tell me he is better, then all of a sudden I received that dreaded phone call that my baby is gone!
It was such a shock to me because I kept hearing from them he was okay. Has any of you ever experienced their babies getting parvo? I am so sad right now, I just feel so terribly sad. Munchkin was a lively Malshih, he only barked when necessary and he was starting to walk without a leash. The strangest thing that happened before I got the call was that 2 of my other fur kids Ginger and Louise were both digging at the same time. The old folks told me that it is a bad sign and I must stop them. I never believed in old wives tales so I never bothered. Also, Ginger was crying and I did not understand what was wrong with her because she was fed but she kept pacing back and forth. She kept sniffing Kirby's brown vest and sort of hugging it. This all happened a few minutes before I got the call.
I called my friend where I bought my babies from and told her the sad news. She cried and so did her kids. They visited both twins when they were confined at the vet's. She narrated to me that the twins' mom Barbie would not eat yesterday too and she brought her with them into their car and she also kept digging on the car's floor which she would not normally do. All afternoon yesterday she said Barbie was kinda sad and would not eat or play.
I know it sounds spooky but I am beginning to think that even dogs have a premonition of what is going to happen or when something wrong is happening. Have you had this experience? Right now I am still sad but then I know my other fur kids needs me too. Ginger Cupcake has regained weight and is bursting with energy. I hope this is the last time any of my fur kids will get sick.
7 people like this
20 responses
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
30 Jul 10
Awww, I'm very sorry to hear of this Candyfairie. Losing any pet is so heartbreaking and we get so attached to them because they are part of the family. I'm really sorry.
I read in one of your responses that you said only pups can get Parvo. That's not correct, even adult dogs can get Parvo, with all their vaccinations too. They are just more unlikely to die from it as they have built up their immune system to it.
Parvo is a highly contagious disease and spreads quickly, and can live in your home for over a year. Make sure all your dogs have been vaccinated and up to date on their treatments.
Disinfecting with BLEACH is the only way to help kill the virus that is now in your home and outside your home. Make sure you clean everything that your pup has come in contact with as it will attack again if not taken care of.
I can't remember how many pups you have right now, or adult dogs, but be careful, very careful.
The Parvo virus is so prevelent yet, they are still trying to figure it all out because there is more than one strain. It depends on the dogs immunity system as to whether they can live through this dreaded disease or not...puppies don't have this type of immunity yet as they are too young. And yes, even though they have all their vaccinations against it, they can still contract it at any age. The disease has no bounderies, can live in the dirt, and they do feel it can also be airborne.
I'm not trying to scare you, I just am trying to help you prevent this from happening again as I know how heartbroken you are at this time. I would contact your vet again and ask him what precautions you should take right now because of your other dogs. He should be telling you exactly what I'm telling you.
Again Candyfairie, I'm so sorry for your loss.
2 people like this
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
Hi dear,
I stand corrected. Parvo is more deadly in puppies than in adult dogs but it infects both adults and puppies alike. But when it hits pups it is more life threatening because the pup's immune system is not yet sturdy. Yup I read that bleach is the only home cleaning solution that can kill this virus. Mind you this virus can live outside the dog's body for 6 month! horrible dear!
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
30 Jul 10
I am so sorry candy, it is hard losing a pet, regardless of how long you had them.. I didn't know what parvo was until I looked it up. It also makes me wonder how your dog got this if they were vaccinated. What does the vet say?
1 person likes this
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
Hi Carmela,
I learned a few things from the vet but most through extensive reading on the subject and perhaps you can check this out it could be helpful to you as well http://www.squidoo.com/saying-goodbye-to-my-little-one-what-you-should-know-about-parvovirus (not a ref link). I was kinda wondering why my pup caught it but the answer is vaccines are like safety procedures they can try to prevent diseases but it doesn't gives the assurance of 100% immunity against any form of disease our dogs are vaccinated against. Much would rely on the individual dog immune resistance. Pups like kids are immunocompromised and they are more susceptible to any form of diseases compared to adult dogs.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
30 Jul 10
Sweetie I am so sorry to read this
I actually do not know what Parvo is
As for Dogs having premonitions that is a fact they know and they sense it before it happens and that does go also for Dogs knowing when something is going to hit the Owner
When ever Gissi gets more cuddly then normal I know something is going to happen and normally it is me that gets sick with my Lungs
Dogs are more clever then People give them credit for and believe me I trust my Gissi's premonition and I did all my other Dogs to
But I am so sorry for your Loss I know it is hard
Here is a big hug for a bit of comfort for you I now it will not help much but it will a bit I hope
RIP Munchkin, be happy over the Rainbow Bridge
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
Hi Gabs,
thanks so much for dropping by although we are miles apart I appreciate your warm thoughts. I have made a research on parvo and you can read about this on in here http://www.squidoo.com/saying-goodbye-to-my-little-one-what-you-should-know-about-parvovirus ( ugghh to mylot this is not a referral link ok), it sad to say that I learn more about this after it had happened. I found out that there are certain dog breeds that are very much susceptible to parvo than others but it does affect adult and pups alike. But the severity of the illness is more experienced by pups who has not yet build an immunity against the disease.
With the premonition thingy I do agree with you there. The have this special sense that foretells something is wrong and they try to tell us only at times we do not undrstand what they are trying to tell us. Like the story in Hachiko, don't know if have seen it yet.
@Bad_Daddy55 (497)
• Canada
3 Aug 10
It is so important for puppies to have their shots and blood work done BEFORE A PERSON OR ANYONE sees any puppy. The puppies had the disease long before you went to see them for the first time. I had a puppy with Parvo. I purchased the puppy with the disease. Check with any Vet. It doesn't just happen.
I breed and train dogs. After the puppy passed, I had to scrub everything. Wait 3 weeks before I could get another puppy
Sorry for your loss.. I just lost my Big Boy to a Heart condition.. I know how you r feeling..
@Bad_Daddy55 (497)
• Canada
3 Aug 10
I know, the disease is puzzling. I have the parvo separate. The other pups have parvo but weaker strain..?????????????????????????????????????????
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
3 Aug 10
Thanks for the support friend. I am sorry for your loss as well. I have been thinking the past few days though about parvo and what I have read about it. I did some extensive reading on the subject. I read that the incubation period is 7-14 days and during that time of incubation there are no signs and symptoms of the disease. If I were to consider that point you are right about it I took the pups home on July 10. Actually they were delivered to me on that day and Ginger had the signs and symptoms on the 19th and then after 3 days Kirby followed. But one thing has left me puzzled though why my pups? the other 3 in the litter didn't get it at all. The pups just came from the vet when they were delivered to me they just had their 3rd shot for the 5 in 1 vaccine. Could it be that the disease was in my house? However, I have another dog she was a pup when I brought her home last april but she never was sick with parvo. The difference though as I look at the vaccination cards is that my other dog didn't get the 5 in 1 she has another type of vaccine which I think is a more concentrated form than the 5 in 1. I figure the 5 in 1 vaccine has just a percentage of all the elements from the concentrated form. I am still trying to study that though. All this right now are still a puzzle for me.
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
That's strange. I wonder why your pups got the parvo when they had been immunized from such. I have 3 dogs too but their immunizations have already lapsed. I do not have time to bring them to the vet as yet because they're big dogs and it is going to be very hard to be transporting them.
1 person likes this
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
Hi Cutie,
This left me puzzled too. Shouldn't they have build an immunity against parvo by now? The vet told me that it could be they have not fully got immunity against the disease...we were just a few days away from getting their last 5 in 1 vaccine. when all this happened.
Yup big dogs are harder to transport but I hope you can make time. There is another culprit that affect adult dogs Distemper which will affect your dog life long. Parvo only affects pups though not big dogs. On monday when I take Ginger Cupcake I'll make sure gets her last 5 in 1, anti-rabies and heart worm vaccine.
1 person likes this
@fiennesd (3)
•
30 Jul 10
Oh I am so sorry about your baby - parvo shouldn't happen as you say if you have given the vaccine. I lost my darling Monty a year ago in an accident and it still hurts to this day. He was a Pet As Therapy (I am a therapist) and we visited sick children in hospital - he was brilliant with them. For people who have suffered as we have, I have written an e book to help with the grief process and it has helped many people all over the world. www.grievingyourpet.com
Dogs definitely know what is going on and also suffer grief at the loss of a friend - I have seen this many times. Ginger Cupcake is such a sweet name - I wish you well.
Good wishes
Denise
www.grievingyourpet.com
1 person likes this
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
3 Aug 10
Hi Denise,
Thanks for your kind words and I will check your site. The whole week was crazy really and things are starting to calm down now and I hope for a long period of time. I had always thought of getting a bullmastiff or labrador trained to be a therapy dog but here in my country it takes time and a whole lot of money to do that. There is just one provision for a therapy dog that I did not quite think I could do that is to get him/her spayed or neutered. I plan to carry on the lineage of the dog especially if it has a very good temper so that really made me hold off that thought. Tell me about having dogs in therapy what are the pros and cons?
@bigpinkmomma (449)
• Canada
5 Aug 10
I am sorry to hear that you lost one of your dogs. That is such a horrible experience. My dog Snuffy got run over , about ten days ago, and it has been so agonizing . We miss him terribly , he was a friendly little fellow. He was so loyal and such a companion, his passing leaves a real hole in our lives . I have never had either of my dogs get sick with the Parvo virus or any other disease, so I am fortunate as to that. Apparently it is prevalent here where I live .
@DCMerkle (1281)
• United States
1 Aug 10
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Parvo is an insidious disease. It has a mortality rate of over 91%. Cats get a form of parvo themselves. I had a litter of kittens and it went through that liter like wildfire. There's really nothing that can be done for any animal that has parvo. I would suggest that if you have any other fur babies, that you make sure that the areas that they were in is sanitized. Use a bleach and water mixture to clean with. Throw away any bedding, blankets, toys, or anything else that they have maybe come in contact with. The parvo virus can stay active in your home for 30 days or more.
as you said, they have passed over to the rainbow bridge now and are safe from any other diseases.
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
3 Aug 10
I hope he is happy now over the rainbow bridge. I just miss him a lot. he was such a sweet pup, a sweet temperament than his sister. He was learning to walk off leash already and I was happy he was making a head start on it. Unlike Ginger, Kirby just goes with me where I go and he comes whenever he was called. Ginger and my other dog Louise are sometimes a pain in the butt. They just do whatever they wanna do but Kirby was the most obedient among them and the cutest too. I still miss him and mourn for his loss. I have sanitized everything and I just keep sure Ginger stays in the house and have no access to outside until I am sure she is okay and that she gets her last 5 in 1 vaccine.
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
1 Aug 10
Yes, i have had something similar happen to me. I had cocker spainials. I had the mom and the son. The son was tried up in the yard. The mom usually was too. However at this time she was in heat so she was in the house by day or basement at night. One morning i went to get her from the basement. The son was in the yard howling like i never heard him do before or after this day. The mom had passed away in the basement overnite. The son howled until the mom was removed from the property. He never saw her body but i know he senced it.
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
1 Aug 10
My dog and her brother got Parvo after they had their first vaccines too. Apparently it is not enough..
And other than the trip to the vet, they didn't even leave our back yard.
so some animals somehow have brought the disease into our yard.
I was however lucky as my little girl K'Ehleyr pulled through and so did her Brother Bruiser (who I had sold a couple weeks before). I paid for both of them to be treated.
Oddly enough they were both the biggest puppies in the litter.
He is now over 90 pounds and she over 85!
The Local paper even did an article on my dogs and their recovery. We had our picture in the paper..
I am so sad you lost your furbaby.. Kirby looked so cute. I don't know why these things happen. it is so sad. I hope your other baby pulls through.
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
2 Aug 10
Hi minx,
I am glad that both of you babies pulled through, I could only wish now that Kirby did, but it's time to let go, the other 2 needs me too. Recovering from parvo is amazing because not many would pull through even with immediate vet care. Yes there are the bills to pay after worrying if they'll make it or not. Hmmm I still had to pay the vet even if mine did not survive though and I got charged an extra for having to bury him.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
1 Aug 10
I'm so sorry to hear that you lost one of your furbabies over the rainbow bridge. It has been four years since we lost one of our babies and it was very hard thing. We lost him to old age though, not parvo.
I've never lost a pet to parvo, but one of our neighbors recently lost one of their babies to parvo and it was so sad to me that they lost their Neely.
As far as animals having a premonition about bad things, I really think that they do.
@Firestorm0122 (730)
• United States
31 Jul 10
I'm very sorry this happened to your precious baby. I know you must be shocked, confused, perhaps even angry. I know someone who recently lost two dogs in a short amount of time to parvo. It's strange that after all these years, parvo seems to be making a comeback in my city.
I know it's rough, and that you really miss your pup. But I am strongly going to suggest this. Take anything he laid on and disinfect it. Use bleach water if you can stand it. Don't let your other dogs or children near those spots. Be sure to wash your hands too.
I once lost a dog to parvo several years ago. We were able to prevent the spreading of it by doing the above. Also, if you can afford it, get an update on their shots. It could be the parvo virus has become immune to previous immunizations, unless the vet did not give the right amount in time.
But again, I'm really sorry you lost your baby.
@inu1711 (5285)
• Romania
31 Jul 10
I'm sorry for your loss, Candyfairy. I know how hard it is to loose a furry friend.
Poor Munchkin Kirby, you had to leave so early!
I'd like to help you understand how did it happen.
Until they haven't finished their vaccination scheeme, the puppies are still in danger of getting Parvo.
Here, in my country, there is a huge risc of getting parvo, especially for little puppies. There are a lot of stray dogs and I can't say all the streets are clean. So this terrible virus (and Distemper virus, too) can be found almost everywhere. That's why, in my country, the vets recommend to keep puppies inside until they get all their vaccines. They also advices the new owners to try to keep the puppy away from the shoes used for outside. Also puppies should not come in contact with adult dogs which came from outside, as they can bring the virus on their feet, too.
It's true that this means to keep puppies inside until they are almost three months old, but I rather clean after them then loose them.
@candyfairy21 (2039)
• Philippines
3 Aug 10
Hi Inu,
Thanks for helping me understand all that, yup I read somewhere that there is a window of susceptibility until they get their complete shots. However does it matter if the pups get the more concentrated form of the vaccine compared to the 5 in 1? Perhaps it can make all the difference. My other dog came to me when she was a pup and she never had it however the kind of vaccine she got was not 5 in 1 compared to the twins. She is an adolescent now my dog Louise but she never plays out of the yard, I don;t think she was the carrier of the disease. Well it could be shoes etc. that must have brought that thing into my house or could be the dogs might have had parvo already when they were brought to me because I just had them for over a week.
@Kiwikee (1)
• Makati, Philippines
12 Jun 13
It's been years but I'm really sad to hear about your loss. By the way, I've seen Ginger in the vet when she was hospitalized for parvo. How is she today? Ginger's brother, Yoshi, just had Parvo a week ago and he was not hospitalized because the vet said that he was too weak. We had to treat him at home and miraculously, he survived (despite passing out a lot of blood)! He acquired the virus from his daughter, Maggie (Ginger and Kirby's niece), who sadly lost the battle against parvo last May 27, 2013. [ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201416858402687&set=a.4227513605383.176567.1211593091&type=1&theater¬if_t=like ]
I do hope and pray that nobody from Barbie and Waffle's remaining children will ever have to experience parvo again. Hope they all stay healthy. As for my Yoshi, he's recovering quite well and he's a happy doggie once more! :)
@BarBaraPrz (45579)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
30 Jul 10
What can I say? "Sorry for your loss" just doesn't cut it, does it?
Take care. 
@MommaOfAllTrades (969)
• Canada
30 Jul 10
I'm so sorry to hear about your lost. I also lost a baby to the parvo virus after vaccination. Sometimes their little bodies simply can't fight off the virus regardless and they succumb so very fast.
Take care of your fur-babies. They will also need you in this time of grieving.
@maanrodriguez (604)
• Philippines
30 Jul 10
oh my, I'm really sorry for your loss. I wish I could say I know how you feel, but then again I dont. I'm sure you miss your little baby. 
