WEDNESDAY, MAY 07, 2025
Protect Your Pup: Understanding Canine Parvovirus
Published on Apr 30, 2025
By EMN
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- Canine parvovirus (CPV -2) infects most species of wolf-like canids (dogs, foxes, coyotes and wolves). Route of infection is through oral or oronasal route or through intrauterine infection of fetuses in infected bitches.
- CPV-2 is associated with two disease syndromes that affect dogs of different ages: a viral enteritis generally observed in dogs older than 6 weeks and an acute or chronic myocarditis in puppies
- In puppies that are infected in utero, the disease can be manifested by a generalized infection, with the virus present on all the tissues. Puppies infected during late gestation or in early neonatal period may suffer from an acute myocarditis, mostly between 2 and 8 weeks of age or sometimes till 16 weeks old at death. Mortality rate in infected litters vary between 20 and 100% and the disease onset in apparently normal puppies is rapid, with death characterized by cardiac arrythmia, dyspnea and pulmonary edema. Death occurs due to progressive myocardial necrosis leading to ventricular fibrillation.
- In older animals, infection may be inapparent, acute or subacute. Many infections are subclinical in animals older than about 1 year, while more severe disease is observed in infections of animals between 6 weeks and 9 months of age.
- First clinical signs observed are depression (lethargy and anorexia) and pyrexia with rectal temperatures of 104 F (40- 41 C) in gravely ill animals. Some animals may develop severe enteritis with vomiting and diarrhea, often blood tinged.
- Prevention and control measures: Virus can be inactivated in the environment by treatment with bleach at 1:10 to 1:30 dilution. Vaccination of bitches prior to breeding controls prenatal and neonatal forms of the disease.
- In facilities where number of susceptible canines ae present, isolation of young animals from the general population will lessen their exposure to the virus, aiding in the prevention of infection prior to vaccination. Many inactivated and modified live vaccines are available that are effective against CPV-2. Puppies may be vaccinated at any age but preferalbly beginning at 3 weeks. Puppies from an immune bitch will acquire maternal antibodies that will protect against infection.
- Vaccinations at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age are recommended with all types of vaccines, with annual boosters recommended in the case of inactivated viral vaccines.
- Source: Veterinary Diagnostic Virology by Anthony E. Castro and Werner P. Heuchele
- Pathology of Infectious Disease of Domestic Animals by Dr. H.V.S. Chauhan
- Vikithe Swu
- 3rd Year, BVSC&AH
- CVSc&AH, Aizawl.
Nagaland Districts
