Does having contact with a parvo puppy make you contagious?

I definitely carried mine. Where I'm from (northern California), parvo was a particularly bad risk at the beach because the sand holds all the nasties for a very long time.

This vet is actually very cautious about nearly everything, which is why I was surprised. She said she'd not seen a case of parvo in 20 years - that like heart worm, it simply didn't exist in that area. But I have to say - before I'd let a pup down, I'd ask a couple other vets if they agreed and even then I don't know if I could do it. Old habits die hard!

Poor little guy is traumatised by the move to my house and I've only had glimpses of him since I brought him home. It's very hard to even find where he's hiding, let alone take a photo. Being only used to dogs, it's really worrying me, but my rescue contact says it's normal and better to let him get adjusted in peace and not try to coax him out. Hopefully if I'm patient, I'll be able to play with him and give him a cuddle at some point!

 

We had a case local to us just the other week not a good outcome.
We always say ask your vet for the best advice for where you live. Would be nice to get ratification though Emily.

 

My OH's parents rescue cats. They always hide for the first week or so and they just leave them to it.

After that they get more confident and start interacting a bit more. By a month they're living the life of riley on the couch

 

Thanks, Jen. That's the current plan with Garfield - I talk to him and feed him but otherwise I leave him be. He doesn't even like if you look at him, so I'm left talking to the walls, but that's ok. I'm used to that.

 

I had a kitten who spent a week inside the back of the refrigerator, where the pump is. He came out and ate his food and used his litter tray when I was out. He was always a scaredy-cat.

 

I wonder whether those pheromone diffusers could help settle a foster cat in the future?

 

I guess I could give it a try. He does seem better today - he actually fell asleep while I was in the room. Yesterday he just sat and glared at me if I could see him at all. On the bright side, he's eating and using his litter box just fine, so his body is recovering even if his mind is a bit slow on the uptake. So...baby steps?

 

Way more than baby steps, that's huge! He's decided that you're not a threat and that he can let his guard down enough to sleep in your presence. Go foster mama go!