It is very unfortunate if your puppy gets parvo, especially if you had them vaccinated against it. Since I rescue dogs who’s history is unknown, I have had a run in with several dogs that have had parvo. Here is how to get the virus out of your house.
Timing:
Parvo is a virus and it is very important to kill it before you allow another dog into your house. Chances are, your puppy was very ill by the time you found out that parvo was the suspect. If that is the case, getting rid of the parvo virus may be a little more difficult.
Disinfecting:
There is no household cleaner that is guaranteed to get rid of parvo. This is because parvo is a virus, not a bacteria. From the time your puppy left the house to go to the veterinarian, or to puppy heaven, you need to begin bleaching.
Bleach is the only thing that has been proven to stop the parvo virus. It is not 100% effective to kill it, so you must be very thorough in your cleaning efforts. A solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 16 parts water should do the trick.
Bleach all floors that can be bleached. viruses spread, so bleach everything from counter tops to window ledges. If possible, rent a steam cleaner and clean carpets, upholstery, and rugs. This must be done everyday for two weeks at least.
Clothing:
When there is parvo present, everything is suspect to being contaminated. Clean all of your drapes, blankets, clothes the dog came into contact with, and any shoes that you walked on the floors with. Remember, while you are cleaning, ANYTHING IS SUSPECT!
Your yard
Unfortunately, your yard is suspect too. Chances are, disinfecting your yard, may damage your grass, but it must be done. Without thorough disinfection, you are facing possible illness of another animal. Parvo can live outdoors for between 5 to 8 months.
Remove any feces that was left in the yard. Taking a garden sprayer that holds plant food, add bleach to it. Connect it to a garden hose. Spray an even, heavy coat all over your yard. Especially in places that your dog liked to use the bathroom, spray them heavily. Do this everyday for two weeks.
For spots where the bleach killed the grass, throw down grass seed. Cover the grass seed with hay, and the grass will grow back.
If you fail to do the bleach cleaning
If you fail to clean everything with bleach every day for at least two weeks, you are risking contamination of other animals. If you bring a new puppy into the house, or a dog that does not have strong enough active antibodies, you are risking their lives. The bleaching must be done if you do not want to face deja vu.
Also, if you choose not to do bleach cleaning everyday and just do regular cleaning, you should not bring a new dog into the environment for at least 1 year.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-parvo.htm
http://www.vetinfo.com/dparvo.html
http://www.2ndchance.info/parvo.htm
http://www.parvopuppy.com/heal_parvo.htm
