Do Dogs Foam at the Mouth With Parvo?

Canine parvovirus or "parvo" is a serious viral infection that is highly contagious and can make adult dogs sick and can be fatal to young puppies. It infects the gastrointestinal tract and causes severe diarrhea and vomiting. Dogs that foam at the mouth may have parvovirus or a more serious health issue.

  1. History

    • Canine parvovirus is a relatively new disease in dogs, having appeared in the 1970s in the form of CPV-2. It evolved from the feline parvovirus disease and swept through dog populations. Not until a vaccine was developed has parvovirus been controlled. Since it appeared, parvovirus has taken four strains: CPV-2, CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c. Parvovirus exists throughout the world, and even though dogs may be vaccinated against the disease, some do die from it.

    Symptoms

    • Common symptoms of parvovirus is foul smelling diarrhea, sometimes mixed with mucus and blood; vomiting; lack of appetite; high fever (over 102.5 degrees F); severe abdominal pain and dehydration. Foaming at the mouth is not a described symptom, however, vomiting may be mistaken for foam.

    Diseases that Cause Foaming

    • One disease that people commonly associate with foaming is rabies. Rabies causes foaming because the dog's throat and mouth become paralyzed and the dog is unable to swallow. The dog drools and foams as a result. Distemper and pseudorabies can also cause excessive drooling and foaming.
      A dog who has something stuck in its mouth or throat may foam because of the excessive salivation. Likewise, a dog who has a tooth problem or abscess may drool and foam.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Diseases such as parvovirus, distemper and rabies are preventable with vaccinations. Pseudorabies is caused by feeding a dog raw pork that is infected with the virus, so do not feed your dog raw pork.
      Brushing your dog's teeth and having your veterinarian clean your dog's teeth regularly will help prevent tooth problems and abscesses.
      Both distemper and parvovirus may be carried on your shoes and in the case of distemper, it can be carried on your hands and clothes. Spritzing your shoes with a bleach-water solution of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water will neutralize the virus. Wash your hands and change your clothes if you've been around other dogs. If your puppy isn't finished with its series of puppy vaccinations, you should be careful where you take your puppy, as it may contract the diseases from infected soil.

    Warning

    • Should your dog start foaming at the mouth or show symptoms of parvovirus, bring your dog to the veterinarian for a full evaluation. All diseases mentioned are serious and may be fatal without treatment. In the case of rabies, there is a serious health risk to you and anyone your dog comes in contact with.