Cardio Parvo in Puppies

Solomon, a grown up show dog. Two years ago, when my dog Sydney had a litter of Great Dane puppies, I had never heard of Cardio Parvo in puppies. At four weeks old the first puppy died and I took it to the Vet, who did a necropsy, an animal autopsy. The necropsy came back positive for Cardio Parvo.When another puppy died three weeks later, I freaked out. I went to the internet and did a search for Cardio Parvo Treatment; I found nothing. There was a lot of information on gastrointestinal Parvo, the common type of parvovirus, but nothing on Cardio Parvo in puppies. I called veterinary colleges all over the country trying to find someone who knew something, anything, about Cardio Parvo, but there was no one, anywhere. I spent countless nights on the Internet searching, here, overseas, nothing, nothing, nothing.

Then late one night I was in some obscure website where people were posting about Parvo and the name Dr. Jack Broadhurst came up with a link to his email. I kept reading, and found out Dr. Broadhurst was the pioneer in treating Gastrointestinal Parvo and Distemper with Tamiflu. I knew it was a long shot, but I emailed him and asked him for help with Cardio Parvo treatment, explained about the puppies dying about three to four weeks apart, and pleaded for his help. The following Saturday, early in the morning, the phone rang. It was Jack Broadhurst; he was there to help. The relief that washed over me was overwhelming.

Then another puppy died. Dr. Broadhurst was not sure if Tamiflu would have any affect on Cardio Parvo in puppies but suggested getting a prescription from my vet and trying it. I went to my vet the following Monday and even though he knew nothing about Cardio Parvo treatment, he wrote us a prescription for Tamiflu. We started treating the puppies right away, and four weeks went by with no loss of life.

Then at seven weeks, the rest of the puppies were still alive. At the eighth week, another puppy died. Broken hearted, I took the puppy to the vet for another necropsy, and the result was the same: Cardio Parvo. The vet had been on the phone and internet with veterinary colleges all over the world, and he told me there is no cure for Cardio Parvo in puppies. Most vets had never heard of it, much less knew anything about treating it. It is so rare, there is just no information available.

My vet suggested I go home and let the puppies die. He told me he would not euthanize puppies. I said "No, there has to be something." Of the original eight puppies, now only four remained. They were painfully small, but happy and playful, and I knew there was no way could I take them home and watch them die. My vet, obviously upset, said “No, there is nothing we can do for them.” I knew he was as pained as I was, and as frustrated. Then I lost my temper and I said, “This is stupid, they are sick and no one in the world can help?"

Charger as a puppy, with Cardio Parvo.

Finally my vet finally said, “There is a chance, but you would have to see a Canine Cardiologist and it’s very expensive.” I told him to give me the name and phone number of that doctor. I went home, and called the Cardiologist, Dr. Arch Robertson. After I filled him in, he saw us the same day. He examined all four puppies, did several tests on their hearts, took their blood pressure, took blood and shook his head.

He had also never heard of or treated for Cardio Parvo in puppies. I noticed a college text book on his desk, wrote down the name of the book and the publisher, went home and immediately ordered the book. Out of seven hundred and some pages, there is one paragraph, just three sentences on Cardio Parvo. The last sentence said ‘total litter failure’. He sent the blood off to a lab in Ohio for testing, and it took two weeks for the test results to come back.

Not good news, all four puppies had inflammation around their hearts and lungs. My original Vet called and said he was sorry, but they were all going to die as there was no cardio parvo treatment possible. I thought about it for a minute, called the Cardiologist and asked what the normal treatment was for internal inflammation in a dog. He didn’t hesitate; he said they treat it with steroids. I said and………………………..? He wanted to make a call to Dr. Miller at Texas A & M, the leading dog cardiologist in the country at the time. He said he’d call me right back.He did; the two Doctors were going to treat the puppies with massive steroids for two weeks. Two weeks was an eternity for us, we agonized through every day, finally back in for another blood test, waited the obligatory two weeks for the results to come back. It is humanly possible to not breathe for two weeks. Finally the phone call, no more swelling around the hearts or lungs. Could we be free and clear?

Visa, who had Cardio Parvo in this picture, has also completely recovered.

One more exam, and this time Dr. Miller flew into town to see and examine the puppies. Neither doctor could find any reason for concern. All four puppies seemed to be healthy and free from the Cardio Parvo. I wanted to cry but just couldn’t. We had to return for one more exam in four weeks.

During their final exam, one of the potential show dog people interested in one of the female puppies went with us. I wanted her to get answers straight from the Cardiologist. The exam room was rather crowded, because Dr. Robertson had invited other vets in to see these living puppies and be there for the exam. We asked questions about diet, exercise, or long term potential health problems resulting from their close call with death. The answers were simple; treat them as normal dogs. All four dogs would die someday, possibly even from heart problems, but it would have nothing to do with their exposure to Cardio Parvo.

Honey, driving Gino, an older dog, nuts!

Two years later now, two of the puppies have gone on to show homes and are doing great. The other two puppies are still here with me. As a breeder I can tell you it was very difficult for me to let those first two puppies leave. In my heart I knew as long as they were here, I would keep them alive, but I felt if they left I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them. Once past my paranoia, both puppies are doing just fine. They are in great homes, loved and spoiled.

Fading puppy syndrome will never be the same for me again; if I lose a puppy to fading puppy syndrome he or she will be taken in for a necropsy. Also, as with gastrointestinal parvo, it is important to make sure the whelping, litter, and later the puppies, are in an area that can be disinfected. Carpet cannot be disinfected. Cloth covers, blankets or sheets must be washed in hot water and bleach.

Dogcheapsleeps.com vinyl dog beds can be disinfected by wiping carefully with a bleach or other disinfectant solution. The reason I’m writing this article is because I vividly remember the late nights and early mornings spent on the internet searching in vain for something, anything on Cardio Parvo in puppies and cardio parvo treatment. Just maybe, if it happens to someone else they will find this article and discover the same things I did. There is help, it’s unconventional, it was experimental, but I’m here to tell you, it works.

Dr.JackBroadhurst’s website is http://www.jackbroadhurstdvm.com

Dr. Arch Robertson’s email is VETMED@vetmedultrasound.com.

My gratitude for these men is indescribable.