This is the second article on diseases that can infect your pet. CPV is a very serious fatal viral infection that is readily transmitted from the environment to a dog. The virus is passed thru the feces of an infected dog onto the shoes of people and paws of dogs and cats and other animals. The virus can survive freezing weather and high temperatures. There is evidence to support the theory that CPV was a mutation of a feline virus that in 1980 caused a major epidemic on Long Island where thousands of dogs died. There are NO known drugs to kill the parvovirus but proven treatments are available to control the complications of the disease, if caught in time. Unlike most other viruses, CPV is stable in the environment and is resistant to most detergents and even alcohol. However, a diluted solution of water to chlorine bleach does kill the virus. This dilution should not be less than 30:1, water to bleach. There is a vaccine that will establish protective immunity and is routinely offered by all veterinarians in their disease prevention protocol. The primary symptoms include the following: vomiting and diarrhea, often with blood, lack of appetite, depression and fever. All veterinarians are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of CPV.