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How long is parvo contagious?

Species: Dog
Breed: border collie x
Age: Less than 3 mon
i recently got a puppy and after 3 days i found out he had parvo and had to be put down. he came from a litter of 6 and one other dog has been diagnosed, but recovered. all the others have shown no signs of illness. since losing my puppy i have thrown out all items that he touched and have bleached what i can of my yard. now, i would really like a second chance at having a dog, but obviously my yard is now infected with parvo. out of the original litter of six there is one left who is now 10 weeks old and has been feeding off its mother. he has not been sick and is generally healthy. my question is: if i get this dog its vaccination will i be able to take him to live at my house? or will be get sick as well?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am so sorry to hear that your puppy died from parvo. Parvo is such a nasty disease.

It sounds like you are doing the right things by cleaning things with bleach and throwing out all of his dishes and toys.

Parvo virus can live in the environment from 6 months to 2 years. However, unless there was a large amount of diarrhea in the yard then 6 months is usually considered a safe amount of time to wait before letting a pup in the yard again.

With that being said, if you have bleached all of your floors, you could bring a new pup into your house but just not let him out into the yard until he is fully protected with vaccines.

Most puppies need two, and possibly three sets of vaccines (each 3-4 weeks apart) before they are considered fully protected against parvo.

Hope all goes well!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.