“Pup is still not eating on her own,” read the medical notes written by one of our veterinarians after an exam with Deb. The puppy, one of six littermates brought in three days prior from a rescue partner in the Central Valley, had parvovirus. Our shelter partner reached out to us when the litter of puppies was brought to them with obvious signs of parvo, and they needed access to care quickly.

We brought the puppies in and immediately got them started on a medley of fluids, antibiotics, and anti-nausea medication. The puppies were so sick they wouldn’t eat, so our veterinary technicians syringe fed them and gave them an IV of fluids to keep them hydrated and prevent them from becoming weaker. But three days later, only two of the puppies were interested in eating on their own. The rest still needed constant monitoring, syringe feeding, and encouragement to get any food in their bellies. It was clear to our medical team that it was going to be a long, rough road for these puppies.

Finally, after a few more days of intensive, round-the-clock care, the puppies, Tina, Rico, Kip, Summer, Deb, and Ace were looking much better. They were starting to eat, were spunky and playful, and their symptoms were gradually disappearing. We breathed a sigh of relief. They were going to be okay.

We continued their treatment until their parvo had completely resolved. In the weeks since first arriving, they now looked like a different group of puppies. They were alert, active, and after baths given by our technicians, clean and healthy-looking. It was time for their “graduation” from our parvo ward.

The puppies were made available for our virtual adoption process. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long before they were in the arms of their new families. After all they’d been through, we were overjoyed that all six puppies were healthy, outgoing, and well-adjusted. Thanks to the support of our incredible community, we are able to take in animals with serious illnesses like parvo and provide them with the care they need.

All six puppies are now fully recovered and in homes with their new families. We are so grateful that we were able to be there for them when they needed us most.