Parvo False Positive??

[Keeley81]

I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the ELISA test they use to diagnose Parvo. I've heard many different stories about it's accuracy and I was wondering if it was possible to get a false positive on this test if your puppy had been vaccinated in the week she was tested. Also, has anyone had a problem with Coccidia being misdiagnosed??

[Chrisanne]

I have never personally known anyone to get a false positive on a parvo test, but Jade will have a better answer for that since she works at a vet clinic.

As for the Cocidia, I have never questioned that. I would just treat for it. Better safe than sorry.

[Keeley81]

Well thus far, the vet won't check for coccidia...he said that the vomiting ruled that out. Everything I've read says the opposite. The breeder informed me that he's had a coccidia problem before and to have her checked. As for the parvo test, my puppy had the runs when I got her and she wasnt really eating. Then two days later she was vomitting. She was still playing and once she got to the vet, the tech said she didn't have a fever...that's why I was curious about the false positive. The vet said their's no chance...but I'd heard otherwise from the vet tech at a different clinic. I'm lost.

[Jade]

Yes, a false positive is possible based on the vaccine timing.

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/msmp/p...diagnosing.htm

It depends on the vaccine that was used and when it was given before the test was done. Typically before one week, it's a real positive if I remember right. After two weeks, I think it's a real positive as well. You might call the vaccine manufacturer if you have the vaccine sticker with your records. They can give you a definitive answer. Have they done a CBC? Parvo will usually grossly deplete white blood cells.

Coccidia can be hard to find, but the statement that vomiting ruled it out confuses me. The general GI upset it causes would seem to make them vomit as well, IMO. We've seen several vomiting and diarrhea afflicted patients come up as coccidia positive, if I remember right.
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...&S=0&C=0&A=680
There's a fact sheet on it.

I don't know, were it me I might seek another opinion or ask for specific clarification from your current veterinarian.

Here's a fact sheet on Parvo as well:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...&S=0&C=0&A=583

Best of luck with your pup.

[Keeley81]

We took her to a different vet who confirmed she has coccidia. Even let me look through the microscope. Apparently it had gotten pretty bad. The vet I had originally taken her to made me feel stupid for asking if that's what she had and then obviously lied to me about whether or not she had been checked. She's at home and on medication for it right now...seems to be doing alright. She gets up and plays in between naps. She's still droopy but we're making sure she's getting plenty of fluids. She doesn't seem any worse than when I originally took her to the first vet. If she had coccidia AND parvo, wouldn't she be acting pretty sick? There's still diarrhea but there hasn't been any vomitting since we picked her up yesterday afternoon. The diarrhea is also not bad enough that she can't control it. She always manages to make it outside. Just seems to me like the initial vet may have given us the wrong diagnosis.

[Chinchilla_Girl]

I don't know...Normally when a puppy comes in with vomitting and diarreah, we do BOTH fecal and parvo tests. Quite often they have one or more parasites in addition to parvo. Did you have a second parvo test done? At our clinic, if there is any question, we run the parvo test a second time to be on the safe side.
Also, you must remember, a puppy isn't fully protected from parvo with just one vaccine. I wouldn't recommend taking a puppy anywhere until 3rd set of vaccines are given to ensure they are fully protected. So if your pup has only had one vaccine, I'd redo the parvo test. Puppy still may have Coccidia, but if you miss the Parvo because you were too focused on the Coccidia, you may be in for some heartache

[meewolflover]

We recently had our puppy die from Parvo. He had it when we got him. The day we got him we gave him a gave him a shot.But it was too late. He was 7weeks old. We had him about 2 weeks. then one friday when I got up in the morning. he was lethargic and was running a fever. Then I checked his stools and they were milky white and thick. Then he started vomiting. So I called the vet and took him right in. She asked what his diet was and I told her i have my dogs on the raw diet with other things that I cooked for them. She right away thought it was Salmonella. she had us bring in a stool sample too, to check for parasites. She gave us some pills and said come back if he got worse.Well 3AM Sunday morning he started having bloody stools. We rushd him to the vet hospital. The Emergency vet took a Parvo test and it came up Positive. We left him there to be treated. The next morning our vet called and told me that she could kick herself because she didn't take the Parvo test on him when we first brought him in on Friday. We had never been around Parvo. We didn't know much about it. But several people said she done wrong by not giving the Parvo test to rule it out. So Our little guy could have been on meds for Parvo instaed of Salmonella. He might have had a better chance against the Parvo. He suffered so much. He wasn't with us very long but we had already had him in our hearts. He didn't have parasites either. So we are upset and are looking for a new vet. So if you have a dog that is vomiting and has diarrhea (bloody or not ) be sure to have the vet take a Parvo test.Our vet didn't like that we partially used the raw diet for our dogs. I have used the raw food diet along with other things i cook or bake for over 10 yrs. None of our dogs ever got sick on it. I use only human grade food for my dogs. I haven't had a sick dog in over 13 yrs. And before that we had a dog die from cancer. That is the only sick dogs we have had. I started that diet because of our German Shepherd that we had to euthanize because of cancer. We were feeding her high priced dry and canned dog food.

[pitbullforever]

coccidia is comenly missed in fecal samples however if most vets suspect it they either send out a sample to the blood lab they use or else just treat the dog.