Can Parvo Live On Concrete? [Every Dog Parent Should Know]

parvo infected dog

Canine parvovirus, also known as Parvo, is highly contagious and can survive for months on many surfaces. This sickness mainly affects the stomach and small intestines of canines.

Since dogs often interact with various surfaces, including concrete floors, they can easily be exposed to Parvo if the virus can live on concrete. So, does Parvo live on concrete? Let’s find out.

Under ideal conditions, the parvovirus can survive on concrete for nine months to a year. Dogs can easily catch the virus if they come into contact with a contaminated concrete surface. Therefore, a bleach solution is the most effective way to kill Parvovirus, as ordinary cleaners are not enough to eliminate the virus.

As canine Parvo is one of the most serious viruses that can infect dogs, it’s important to discuss how Parvo can survive on concrete, how long it can persist on concrete surfaces, and methods for getting rid of Parvovirus in our homes. Let’s explore these related facts further.

Can Parvo live on concrete?

Parvovirus is a dangerous illness mainly infected by puppies and also grown dogs too. Actually, the Parvovirus can contaminate any surface, including concrete surfaces.

It could be from contact with another parvo-infected dog, the feces of an infected dog, an object, or any other source.

Our pet could contract the illness even if he or she walks through an area where an infected dog has vomited or soiled.

At home, on jogging trails, in parks, or anywhere else, the dogs may come into contact with concrete surfaces. As the Parvovirus is strong enough to hang on these concrete surfaces, our dog could easily catch the virus.

So, rather than other places where we are concerned about preventing our dog from catching a virus, we also have to be concerned about the concrete surfaces.

How long does Parvo last on concrete?

The Parvovirus primarily affects young, aged, and weak dogs, but it can also affect healthy dogs too.

It is highly contagious, and if this is left untreated, it can infect your dog as well as any other dogs that come into contact with the affected concrete surface.

As Parvovirus is extremely hardy, it can remain active and ready to infect other dogs for a long time, even after the dog that contracted it first has recovered or passed away.

So, if we get to know of another parvo-infected dog or animal in our yard with concrete tiles or our jogging path with concrete bricks or any other concrete surface where our dog is exposed, the question that arises is how long this virus can survive on such a concrete surface under natural conditions.

This Parvovirus can be retained on a normal concrete surface for about nine months to one year under favorable conditions, as it is highly resistant.

This allows the infection to spread via flies, birds, another dog, or even the shoes of an unwitting dog owner.

So now that we’ve got the effect of the Parvo, it is needed to sanitize our houses if there is any risk of parvo spreading.

Suggested Reading: Can you carry your unvaccinated puppy outside?

Can dogs get Parvo from walking on concrete?

The virus might stay in every patch of concrete or location where the dog walked or soiled itself if a dog diagnosed with Parvo was in our yard or whatever the place was.

By strolling or lying down on the same concrete surface as the sick dog, or by smelling or licking the regions where the other dog went potty, the next dog that comes into the yard could contract the virus.

As well as ourselves and the pet itself, can carry the virus home, and that infection may be present at dog parks, people parks, rest areas, dog washes, kennels, private yards, beaches, hiking trails, and other locations where concrete surfaces can be found.

There is a huge possibility of our pets getting exposed to the Parvovirus when walking on concrete.

If the dog walks on a concrete surface where the virus is still present, the dog’s paws can contact and catch the virus.

So when he is licking his paws, he can get the virus into his body. (The virus infects the digestive system of the dog badly and weakens its immune system.) As well, the virus can linger in several other substances that dogs usually use through their paws.

So it is clear that dogs can get Parvo from walking on concrete, and it is a major way of catching the disease so easily.

How do you get Parvo out of concrete?

Because Parvo is a highly contagious disease with no cure, it is critical to get the Parvo off the surface if we know there is a risk of Parvo.

So, a natural way to ensure that your home and garden environment are safe after a Parvo infection is to wait a long time for the virus to die off before allowing another dog to come into contact with the land or home, which might take up to a year.

As another solution, we can clean all the concrete flooring in your home where your pet may have been using diluted bleach, as bleach can be used to disinfect concrete floors rather successfully.

Using bleach, thoroughly mop and spray those areas. Leave the surface of the bleach solution for about 10-15 minutes. Bleach can degrade any sealant or paint that has been applied to concrete, but it shouldn’t harm an unsealed surface.

Still, before treating the entire floor, test the bleach on a tiny portion of the floor and wait a few days to ensure there is no discoloration or damage.

If you feel like bleach substances are damaging your concrete floors, we can use disinfectant substances along with a detergent to get Parvo out of the concrete surfaces.

Ordinary floor cleaners and detergents are not strong enough to destroy the viruses on their surface. So just washing with those detergents and ordinary cleaners is not effective.

Things to be aware of.

So far, we’ve discussed how and how long Parvo survives on concrete, whether dogs get Parvo from walking on concrete surfaces, how we can eradicate Parvo from concrete surfaces and a variety of other topics.

But there can be things we should be aware of and want to give more concern. Here, let’s discuss what those things are.

  • If you’re going to adopt a dog, no matter if there is a parvo risk or not, be sure to get the puppy fully vaccinated against the Parvovirus. Because prevention is better than cure.
  • If your previous puppy suffered from Parvo, although you have cleaned your concrete floors and everything, be kind and wait at least about a year to adopt another pet dog after your first dog passes away.
  • When you are bleaching the concrete floors, be sure to protect yourself and your skin from bleaching substances.
  • Take your dog immediately to a veterinarian when you observe any symptoms of parvo disease, as it is showing symptoms when the disease is somewhat severe.
  • If you get to know about any other parvo-infected pet, be sure to take care of your dog without taking him to common parks, yards, etc.

Suggested Reading: Do vets overcharge?

Conclusion.

If someone asks, is it possible for Parvo to survive on concrete? As dog parents, Now we know that the answer is “yes”. Our dog can catch Parvo from a concrete surface that may be contaminated by another infected dog. So, now we are aware of what to do if our concrete floors get contaminated with the parvovirus and how to kill that virus too. So far, we have discussed these things very descriptively. As Parvo is a serious illness, we have to take care of our pets without being exposed to this virus. I think now you know how to clean your concrete surface to kill the parvovirus and should be concerned about common concrete surfaces where parvo risk is available. I hope this will help you further and I hope to meet you on another important topic like this!

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