Small Talk - Autumn 2017

small talk 07 Parvo virus was first recognised nearly forty years ago and since that time has become a major cause of mortality in young unvaccinated puppies worldwide. Most severe infection is observed in unvaccinated puppies less than twenty weeks of age in which mortality can approach ninety-percent without treatment. Symptoms Following infection, the virus targets rapidly dividing cells in the intestine causing profuse haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhoea with blood) within three to seven days but in some cases the virus invades the heart leading to acute heart failure. There will also be fever, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and sometimes sudden death. Diagnosis A presumptive diagnosis may be made based on the results of clinical examination. Sometimes testing blood or faecal samples may be necessary. More accurate tests which can identify viral DNA are also available. Treatment The main stay of management relies on good supportive therapy and isolation to prevent further spread of the virus. Affected puppies will need to be hospitalised and receive intensive fluid therapy. Antibiotics are often given to prevent and treat secondary infection as well as medication to manage vomiting and nausea. Isolation is vital to prevent spread of this virus to other puppies. The parvo virus is known to be extremely hardy and can survive for a long time in infected material and on contaminated surfaces for several months. Your vet can advise you on suitable cleaning and disinfection protocols for your home. Prevention An effective vaccine for Parvo virus has been available for over thirty years and has greatly diminished the frequency of outbreaks of disease. Your puppy will receive two or three primary vaccinations starting from around eight weeks of age and given at two or four week intervals. It is recognised that finishing the vaccination course at too young an age may lead to vaccination failure as a result of inhibitory antibodies acquired from the mother’s milk which may persist in the puppy beyond 10 weeks of age. Some breeds notably the black and tan breeds including the Rottweiler and Dobermann are thought to have increased susceptibility to infection and may need additional vaccinations beyond the routine primary course.