Parvo clean up

If you have had a dog in your house that has been diagnosed with parvo you must clean like you have never cleaned before. The parvo virus is VERY hardy and can live in the environment (carpeting, hard surfaces, bedding, bowls, yard) for many, many years.

First throw EVERYTHING the dog used into a plastic garbage bag, seal it, and take it outside. This means EVERYTHING...bowls, bedding, toys, collar, leash...

Every hard surface where the dog may have been needs to be washed with a bleach and water solution...1 part bleach to 4 parts water. You need to wipe the surface and leave it wet. It is the evaporative oxidation that will kill the virus.

Any hard surface that cannot be bleached should be sprayed until wet with Lysol (only that brand) and allowed to air dry. Let the moisture evaporate, do not wipe dry.

Upholstered furniture and carpeting will need to be professionally cleaned. You will need to advise the cleaning company of your situation so that they can use the most powerful cleaners. Also, the steam cleaning and evaporation as the fabric dries will help.

Clean up the yard, pick up all waste. Pour straight bleach on the ground where you pick up the waste or know that the dog has eliminated.

Lastly, if you have had a parvo positive animal (dog or cat) in your house you must be very careful about any animals that come into your house for the next year or two. It is highly recommended that you do not bring a puppy (under 18 months) or elderly animal into the home during this time period. Despite your best cleaning efforts there is no way to completely eradicate the virus from your home. So a young animal (immature immune system) or elderly animal (immunocompromised due to aging) could conceivably become infected.

This information is from my experience in fostering animals from shelters. Overcrowding often breeds diseases like parvo. Unfortunately we've had a few foster litters at our home that were later diagnosed with parvo. My personal veterinarian has been very helpful in providing these guidelines for cleaning so that my own animals and visiting animals do not become infected. Of course it is a good idea to be sure that other animals in your house (or visiting) are current on vaccinations.

And the best advice is that when bringing a new animal into your home (like a new puppy) keep them confined to one room for the first week or two. We use a laundry room right off the kitchen and put a baby gate across the doorway. Definitely take them to your own vet for a complete exam during the first 72 hours. But confining them works well for a few reasons. First it gives the animal a quiet place of their own until they settle in. And secondly, if any illness does arise you will not need to clean/disinfect the entire house and all of your furniture.