Last Monday we found a puppy (about 10 weeks old) and brought him in because some people in the neighborhood were tormenting him.  We had him for about 8 hrs in which time he had diarhea (sp?) three times.  We found a home for him that night, but now the person wants to give him back but is saying it is because he is a handful.  I think the dog has Parvo, because a friend of hers mentioned it to someone I know.  My question is this:  If I take him to a vet today for treatment, what are his chances of survival (after at least one week of no treatment)?  How much will this cost me?  Should I put him down?  Anyone have any experiences with this?  Please help!!!

Thanks,
Chimborazo

my brother in law has a dog my father in law call 379 because it had parvo and it cost him $379.00 to pay for the dog to get better... in the end the dog ran away.

One of our Great Danes had Parvo, cost us $1000 to get him through it. Most dogs that get it die. John

The chances of a dog surviving Parvo are slim at best. However, the simple fact that he has diarrhea does not necessarily mean that he has Parvo. If he were homeless and had not eaten in some time your feeding him could have given him a harmless case of diarrhea that will be short lived.
You bascially have two choices. One observe him and see if his condition worsens. If it does and he appears to me in discomfort it may be time to consider putting him down.
Two, take him to the vet and have him diagnosed. The Parvo test if a simple blood test and you will have results immediately depending on your vets lab. If he has Parvo you will then have to decide if you want to spend the money to try to save him. Regardless of what the vet tells you, as stated above, the chances of him living are slim if he does in fact have Parvo.

Observe him and see what happens.
Good luck.

Chim,
It is a very serious disease! By 12 weeks most dogs have all the shots to protect them from Parvo but before they are always at risk of getting it. I had a puppy once that had it and it died within three days. I am not sure of the prognosis for survival but if you e-mail me off line I can tell you the odds and the appox. cost of treating parvo.
ps. My Sister and Brother are both Vets.
Ybbeat

Gunslinger,

He had the upset stomach before he ate anything, and seemed a little weak.  After some food though, he perked up.  The only reason I think it is Parvo is because a friend of hers told my girlfriend that the dog had it, and that is why she wants to give it back to us.  I love dogs, and I really like this dog (I regreted finding a home for him) but I cannot afford to pay $1000 for treatment...especially if his chances of survival are not very good.  If he had Parvo when we found him, that means it has been over a week without treatment.

Thanks for your responses...this is really stressing me out.  I think I have to go look at the girly threads to get this off my mind.

If the puppy has been around for a week, then it probably doesn't have parvo.  You need to take the dog in and have it checked out.  A change in diet will cause a dog to have the runs.  I adopted a dog at a dogpound once, and he got really sick two weeks after I got him.  He had DISTEMPER!  Even though I got him his shots right after I got him, the incubation period is about 2 weeks, and the signs weren't apparent until he'd been at our home for a while.  We tried to save him, but it was no use.  We put him down.  Any dog you find and are thinking about keeping you need to get checked out ASAP.  Otherwise, take the dog to an animal shelter and turn him in as a stray.

Just my thoughts.

Lost a whole Litter, 6 Pups and the Mother, the vet couldn't do anything about it.  I got someone to shoot and bury them all before they suffered real bad.  Broke my heart.

My daughter works in a vet clinic in VA and she said that a puppy with parvo will also be vomiting and may have blood mixed in the stools. She also said that if the puppy's stomach is bloated and just having running stools that it possiable that if may just have worms. She said the parvo test is about $30 and it will give you confirmation one way or other.
Good luck
Ron

Thanks guys for all your help.  My girlfriend is taking him to the vet right now.  He has been vomiting, but I think that has stopped.

Thanks again.

Hello, this is Mrs. Idaho-ar15.  

The main symptoms of Parvovirus infection are vomiting, a REALLY nasty bloody diarrhea, extreme anorexia (from nausea), and severe depression.

If the puppy is still alive it's very safe to assume he does not have parvo.  If he's eating at all, he probably doesn't have parvo.  If the diarrhea is not squirting out of him and bloody, he probably does not have parvo.  And if he's not laying there like he wishes he would die, he probably doesn't have parvo. (emphasis on the probably's - sometimes they surprise you!)

My guess would be that the pup ate something while he was homeless that really didn't agree with him.

Most dogs that get it and are not treated die from dehydration within 3-4 days.  Most dogs that get it and ARE treated survive.  We save about 75% of the pups that come in with it.