Parvo Spreads Fast. Vaccines Stop It Faster.

Every rescue worker knows this name: Parvo.

Parvovirus is one of the deadliest—and most preventable—diseases we see in unvaccinated puppies.

As rescue and shelter workers, we’ve held too many fragile, trembling puppies fighting for their lives. Some survive. Too many don’t. But here’s the good news: one simple vaccine series can stop parvo completely.

🦠 What Exactly Is Parvo?

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious virus that attacks a dog’s intestinal system, leading to severe vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. It spreads through infected feces, contaminated surfaces, and even on shoes, clothing, or car tires—making it nearly impossible to contain in unvaccinated environments.

The virus is incredibly resilient, surviving in soil and surfaces for months, even through weather changes and cleaning attempts. That’s why prevention is absolutely critical.

⚠️ Symptoms to Watch For

Parvo symptoms can appear suddenly, often within days of exposure. Early signs include:

• Lethargy and loss of appetite

• Vomiting and severe, often bloody diarrhea

• Fever or low body temperature

• Dehydration and weakness

  
  

Puppies under six months old are the most vulnerable. Without immediate, intensive care, up to 90% of unvaccinated puppies will not survive. Even with hospitalization, treatment can cost $1,000–$2,000 or more—a heartbreaking burden for families and shelters alike.

💉 The Parvo Vaccine: A Simple Lifesaver

The parvo vaccine is part of your dog’s core DHPP series, which protects against Distemper, Hepatitis/Adenovirus, Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza.

Recommended schedule:

• 6–8 weeks: First parvo (DHPP) shot

• Every 3–4 weeks until 16–20 weeks of age: Booster series

• 1 year later: Booster

• Every 1–3 years: Adult boosters

  
  

Missing a single vaccine in this early series can leave your puppy unprotected. Staying on schedule is the best way to give them a safe, healthy start in life.

🐾 Why Vaccination Protects Everyone

Parvo outbreaks can devastate shelters and rescue groups. When the virus enters an unvaccinated population, it spreads like wildfire—threatening dozens of dogs in a matter of days.

By vaccinating your pets, you’re helping break that chain of infection. You’re protecting your dog, your neighbors’ dogs, and the countless rescue pups waiting for homes.

Vaccination is love in action. ❤️

🤝 How Big Paws and Our Partners Fight Parvo

Through our Protect the Paws You Love campaign, the NWA Animal Alliance is working together to make vaccines accessible to everyone—because no puppy should lose their life to a preventable disease.

Your support helps us fund vaccines, run community clinics, and educate families about prevention. Together, we can keep Northwest Arkansas’ pets healthy, happy, and home where they belong.

💉 Find free or low-cost vaccine clinics near you

Sources: American Veterinary Medical Association “Canine Parvovirus” (2024); MDPI Veterinary Sciences Journal “Overview of Recent Advances in Canine Parvovirus Research” (2024); Merck Veterinary Manual “Canine Parvovirus Infection” (2024); PetMD Veterinary Review Board “Parvovirus in Dogs” (2024); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Zoonotic Disease Prevention in Pets” (2023).