DOG SICKNESS

Question
Have a 11 month old lab who has been vomiting and bloody diarrhea also a fever. so the vet gave me some antibiotic and some stomach medicine to coat his stomach also some anti acid medicine. I have also given him some Tylenol and lots of cold water with ice cubes. to break the fever I believe he's getting better today is the fifth day of the sickness. I force feed him a little rice he seems like he's coming around. The doctor believes it could be parvo what else can I do he had a parvo shot a few month ago but, the Vet and the tests are so expensive?

Answer
If its parvo, he needs to be kept on fluids constantly. Parvo dogs die because they dehydrate and their body succumbs to secondary infection.

There are homeopathic remedies out there for parvo, including Parvaid (Which I have used with some success) and Theraflu (which I have not used, but have heard of and was told it worked) both of these are readily available although Theraflu will be easier to get then parvaid. Is he drinking and eating on his own? Try mixing pedialyte in with his water to give him extra electrolytes. Its much more important that he drink, and get lots of fluids down, then to eat. Whatever you do, do NOT force feed him solid food, like rice. You can kill him by doing that. If you really feel like he must eat, make a solution of pedialyte, chicken baby food, and warm chicken broth, and gently squirt it into his mouth with a syringe.

If he has had all three of his parvo vaccines, which he should have at 11 months, it is highly unlikely that he has parvo, but there are many, many other illnesses out there that look and act like parvo.

of course the best thing to do is take him back to the vet and have a fecal done. He could have coccidia, camphy, parvo, giardia, or any other bacterial or viral infection that is making him this ill. each one is treated differently, and if you are going to treat at home, you need to know what you are treating.

Again, fluids, fluids fluids. Here is a great self help book about treating a parvo dog at home: http://www.ambertech.com/parv/Parvo_Information_Self_Help_Guide.pdf

It includes the use of Parvaid.

Good luck, and I really hope he makes it. I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you, I was unexpectedly admitted into the hospital for a few days.