Without being especially alarmist, Parvo is something you absolutely must vaccinate against, particularly if your dog will be around other dogs (your daycare statement makes that apparent). My wife fostered rescue puppies of all breeds for many years, and every rescue she lost was either to advanced heartworm or Parvo. To give you some sense of what you're dealing with, Parvo is a bit like malaria or dysentery for dogs.

Parvo is highly contagious, which is one of the reasons the daycare won't take your pet. It's not just dangerous to your animal, but to all the animals there.

Here's a good overview and explanation. It should be telling that the immunity section begins with "IF a puppy recover from parvo..." (emphasis mine):

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1556&aid=467

The reason you haven't heard about it is because of these kinds of vaccination enforcements. Parvo is extremely contagious and dangerous, especially in puppies.

"It has two distinct presentations, a cardiac and intestinal form. The common signs of the intestinal form are severe vomiting and severe haemmorhagic (bloody) diarrhea. The cardiac form causes respiratory or cardiovascular failure in young puppies. Treatment often involves veterinary hospitalization. Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91% in untreated cases." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_parvovirus

So, highly infectious/contagious, and kills over 90% of unvaccinated dogs it infects. This is why the daycare is insistent on the vaccination.

Looks like I will give the only disenting non-mainstream vote here. I do not support the parvo vaccine. nor do many holstic vets, can't tell if you are trying ot go the holistic route with your pet but you might give a call to a holistic vet and discuss this, they usually recomend if you do decide to do vaccines, that you do them one at a time at least two months apart. so that if there is a reaction to the vaccine you know exactly which one, we are over vacinating our pets needlessly and though it seems to be a controversial point with vaccinating children we don't think twice about our pets, of course everyone is well intentioned about these things but there are some interesting studies out there showing that many vaccines are more harmful than helpful, I suggest you do some serious research before you needlessly vaccinate your pet. don't just rely on websites that give you the information off the box from the pharmaceutical company there is a lot of info online about holistic pet care, most places recommend the rabies shot but nothing else.

Yes, it is a devastating disease. We adopted a "parvo pup" from our local vet's office years ago...tragically the entire litter died except him and they were searching for a responsible home for this special needs puppy. Due to a very high fever he was (for lack of a better description) brain damaged and a bit on the "slow side" his entire life. He made up for it by being the sweetest thing you can imagine but it truly is a devastating disease that you would never want your dog exposed to or required to suffer with if not absolutely necessary.

Get the shot, Parvo is nothing to mess with in dogs. I've lost 3 dogs total to it out in the country. One got it, and died. The other two caught it from the ground where the dog's house was(apparently parvo can stay dormant in the soil for years, even in harsh climates like South Dakota). From the two that caught it, 1 died outright, the other lost full use of it's rear legs/hips and we put him down.

Yes, Your dog really needs a parvo shot! Parvo virus attacks dogs very quickly, especially younger dogs. It causes dehydration from bloody diahrrea, no appetite, and death within a few days of exposure. The virus may live in an infected are (kennel, home, yard) for a lenghty time if not properly disinfected.

My wife had a dog that recovered from Parvo. Get the dog the shot, you could save its life and some other animals life as well.

NOTE-- There are some useful articles at the end , please read them if you have time


Yes, its important.Some people may tell you that you don't need the shots if you do not take

*Parvo is a horrible disease.The lining of the intestine sloughs off,causing bloody diarhea,mucous,any food gives the virus something to feed on thereby prolonging the process.water cannot be absorbed by this infected intestine so dehydration is part of the side effects.Some breeds are more prone to Parvo.

*Parvo is not just a puppy illness as many think. I dont acutally understand why they call it puppy Parvo, but any dog can get it. The smaller the dog, the worse their chance for survival is. Get her all her shots now. Before you start taking her out in public.

*Parvo is a deadly awful virus that is highly contagious especially among puppies under one year old or dogs with not so up to par immune systems. Parvo is transferred through urine, feces and saliva of an infected dog. It is also contagious through vomit

*Whenever your dog goes to get its regular shots, they always need to include the parvo shot.The Parvo vaccine should have been in the cluster of shots.

BUT...

*Don't let current vaccinations lure you into a false sense of security. When my dog was young, he was current with all his shots and still got parvo.


http://www.parvobuster.com/images/ParvoBuster.jpg


SOME USEFUL INFO------


*Shots come in one of three ways (but I can only remember two), Modified Live, And Killed.

The modified parvo shot is a modified strain of the virus. the killed shot is a modified killed version of the virus. One type of shot puts a live virus into your dog, while the killed injects the dog with something dead.

Both shots fool the dogs body into thinking that it is sick, the dog's body in turn creates defences to protect itself without having to fight off the real virus. This way, when the dog comes into contact with the real virus, that virus is met with a canine immune system that is ready to knock it out before it can reproduce and cause harm. This is a super simple explanation, and I may not be accurate. But the general idea is true (I believe).

When a dog is given a live virus shot there is a remote chance that the dog will get the disease from the vaccination, and I think that you sign away your rights to sue the vet when the shorts are first given, (read that small print when you sign the waver), just in case this happens. There is a medical word for dogs that get the illness from the vaccine, but I cannot remember what it is.

When a puppy is given shots and that same puppy is exposed to another dog, if the 'other dog' has a compromised immune system, or is in some way ill, I do believe that the vaccine sheds into the stool and in very rare instances can cause unhealthy dogs to become ill.

http://www.parvobuster.com/images/ParvoTreatment101Book01.jpg


SOME ARTICLES YOU MAY LIKE TO READ......

1. How many more parvo shots does my puppy need to get?

http://www.parvoarticles.com/p/180


2. What shots does my dog need?

http://www.sandiego6.com/guides/petcare/dogs/story/What-shots-does-my-dog-need/6tIX4jnGrkKHeZCqtPgB-g.cspx


3.Does my dog have parvo?

http://www.funadvice.com/q/does_my_dog_have_parvo


4.How bad is it if your dog has Parvo?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_bad_is_it_if_your_dog_has_Parvo

5. PARVO FAQ'S

http://www.workingdogs.com/parvofaq.htm

6. Symptoms After Parvo/Distemper Shot

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf25017399.tip.html

Although I'm very skeptical about vaccinations and the number/methodology of injections required, Parvo is a must-have that we administer to our pups early on. I have known people who left 8 healthy pups at home in the morning and find most of them dead of dehydration by the time they return from work. It's difficult (and expensive) to pull sick dogs through the disease, and there are often ongoing health consequences.
Parvo seems to be a particular risk for Dobermans and Rotties. If your dog is particularly nervy at the vet, you can buy and learn to administer the vaccine yourself. It's worth your time to take your dog to the vet just to socialize him, when he's not in need of treatment. Walk in, sit down, maybe have him weighed, have someone give him a treat. It reduces his (and your) stress level when he really needs medical care.
Vaccinate for Parvo! and may your dog have a long and healthy life!

My dog just resintly recovered from parvo, thank god. This is one of the most deadly and fast spread disease a dog can get. The bug spreads from other dogs fecal matter and can live in the environment for up to 3-4 months, in the right conditions. The first signs you can tell your dog may have it is a slight lose in appitie, diarrhea, throwing up, more severe signs are lethargic, and blood in there stools. There isnt always blood in there fecal matter. This virus spreads quick and can killyour dog in a matter of days. My dog was one of the lucky few that survive seeing as the dogs have a 50/50 chance of living. This virus attacks puppies more then adult dogs, but adult dogs and carry the virus with no symptoms at all. The best way to prevent this virus is to get there vaccination, but this doesnt always work. Try to leave your dog at home, which is sometimes hard to do because you want to socialize it and make it a good dog. But leaving it at home or just taking short walks around your neighbourhood is the best way to prevent it. This is a very seriouse virus and you should get your vaccinations for it.