Protect Your Pup: Understanding Canine Parvovirus
Canine parvovirus (CPV -2) infects most species of wolf-like canids (dogs, foxes, coyotes and wolves).
- 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.
