That is the main topic of the week on this week's Episode 411 of the RV Podcast, along with RV news and your questions about the RV Lifestyle.

You can watch the Video Version of the Podcast on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below:

What is Parvo and what is this current epidemic all about?

It's hard to imagine a more deadly disease that Canine Parvovirus, known as CPV or just Parvo. It is a highly contagious virus and spread from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces. Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91% in untreated cases.

Parvo rapidly kills by attacking the gastrointestinal tract of puppies and dogs. A canine parvovirus infection causes severe dehydration, bloody vomiting, and diarrhea. Parvo in dogs also attacks the immune system, weakening the dog's ability to fend off bacterial infections. Dogs infected with parvo often die from secondary pneumonia or other bacterial infections.

The current epidemic began, as best as can be determined, early in 2022. There are reports of a Parvo-like disease killing dogs in Europe going back to January.

The current outbreak got nationwide attention in the summer of 2022 from cases first reported in Northern Michigan. But similar cases have been reported in Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Florida, as well as other locations.

This outbreak has baffled many because early tests come back negative for Parvo.