PARVO VIRAL DISEASE IN DOGS

                                   

  Canine Parvo virus is a highly contagious viral dog disease mainly affects the gastro intestinal tract lining of pups of age group 6 - 20 weeks of age but older animals are also sometimes affected. A very rare varient of the virus may sometime leads to myocarditis in pups.

                                    Canine Parvo virus can easily spread from one dog to other through direct dog to dog contact , contact with contaminated faeces , people and environment. Incubation period of this virus is 3 - 7 days. 

                              Breeds that are more susceptible to parvo viral disease condition are

                 Rotweiler

                Doberman pinscher  

                German shepherd 

                American  pitbull terrier   

                Spaniels 

Clinical symptoms :

                    Dog infected with canine Parvo virus will starts to show symptoms within 3-7 days of infection but can range from 2 - 14 days. Initial clinical signs may be non specific ( lethargy, anorexia, fever). With progression to vomiting and hemorrhagic small bowel ( small intestine) diarrhoea within 24 - 48 hrs. Approximately 25 % of the dogs may have non haemorrhagic diarrhoea, low white blood cell count. 

                   Secondary infections occurs as a result of weekened immune system. Because of the normal lining of intestine is compromised, blood and protein leak into intestine leading to anemia and loss of protein and endotoxins escape into blood stream leading to endotoxemia. 

Diagnosis :

                  Based on clinical signs, age of the dog ( younger age dogs are more susceptible), vaccination status ( unvaccinated) helps in tentative diagnosis of the dog. 

                 Other confirmative tests like fecal ELISA test which is the most common way of diagnosing a dog with parvovirus. 

                Electron microscopy 

                PCR 

Treatment :

             There is no approved treatment and current standard of care is supportive care involving extensive hospitalization due to severe dehydration and potential damage to intestine and bone marrow. 

            Supportive therapy include fluid therapy ( based on blood levels of dog), broad spectrum antibiotics like cephalosporins ( secondary bacterial infection), anti emitics (ondansetron) and antacids ( cimitidine, ranitidine etc). 

            A blood plasma transfusion from donor dog that has already survived CPV is sometimes used to provide passive immunity to the sick dog. 

Prevention :

             Prevention is the only way to ensure that a puppy or dog remains healthy because the disease is extremely virulent and contagious. Appropriate vaccination should be performed starting at 6 - 7 weeks of age  and booster dose after 3 - 4 weeks. 

         DHPPI vaccine 

Can humans get Parvo? 

              Parvo virus is a species specific so humans have their own version of virus. This suggests that parvo virus won't get from animals (dogs) to humans and vice versa.