Parvovirus

Parvovirus exists everywhere, but in varying concentrations. It can come home on your shoes, clothes, or even car tires. Being able to resist freezing as well as heat, it is a very hard virus to kill. Disinfecting with a 30:1 water to bleach solution will kill most of it. All dogs are exposed to parvovirus to varying degrees dependent on the concentration of the virus. Concentrations are higher in public places where "infected" dogs may have been (i.e. have left their feces). Puppies should not be taken to public places or exposed to strange dogs before receiving all of the puppy vaccinations (approximately 4 months old).

I think this is a good one - I didn't understand this completely until now - I had to take Ace (BLM, 13 weeks old at the time) to the vet Christmas morning - diagnosed as parvo. He was on an IV and antibiotics until Tuesday. Stayed another 3 days for observation and to get him back on solid food. It cost me $300. But he recovered (70-80% chance of survival when properly diagnosed and treated)!!! That means 1 out of 4 or 5 dogs don't survive!!! That could just as easily have been Ace!

Puppies are most susceptible from the time they are weaned from their mother (they receive the mother's antibodies through her milk) until they've received all of their initial vaccinations. Ace had only had two of his initial vaccinations - but he did recover faster than "most" dogs per my vet.