Caregivers and animal lovers, would you believe that already two years have elapsed since the “PET CARE” weekly column commenced in December 2019? Over the past few weeks, we have been addressing the issue of preventing pregnancies in our companion animals. As the Christmas season approaches, I would deviate temporarily from the more technical aspects of “Pet Care” and provide some insights into the pet care issues that emerge during the festive season, to ensure that you, your family, and your veterinarian have peace, joy, happiness and goodwill during the most wonderful time of the year.
Today, however, it is imperative that we postpone the more Christmas-oriented “Pet Care” columns, simply because I have been advised, not least by some of my colleagues, to discuss a canine disease which currently seems to be infecting animals and leaving a swathe of deaths in its wake, especially among pups and young adult dogs.
That disease, CANINE PARVO VIRUS (CPV), I had written about one year ago, which illustrates the seasonal nature of its incidence.
Question: What is CPV?
Answer: CPV is an easily transmitted, lethal, viral disease affecting unvaccinated dogs as well as other species (eg, foxes) globally. Although dogs of all ages/breeds can be infected with CPV, puppies (6-20 weeks old) seem to be more susceptible.
Please note that the virus causing CPV is closely related to, but is yet quite different from, a virus affecting cats. In older books, you may even find the name “Feline Parvovirus” listed. That disease in cats goes under a more correct name of “Feline Panleukopenia”. We must not confuse the two diseases, even though the symptoms may be similar.
QUESTION: HOW IS CPV TRANSMITTED TO THE PUP/DOG?
Answer 1: From dog to dog – by direct and indirect transmission, usually via faeces, but also from a contaminated environment in which the pups (dogs) live. Ingesting faeces which contain the virus shed by other dogs is a major source of infection. Even sniffing an infected dog’s anus can facilitate transmission of the virus from one dog to another.
2: Animals moving from kennel to kennel, or any physical environment wherein the virus is present, can transfer CPV to clean surroundings.
QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CPV?
ANSWER 1: Since this virus primarily attacks certain structures of the intestinal (gut) wall, an initially soft, watery diarrhoea soon becomes a bloody discharge from the anus.
2: As a result of the loss of fluids (due to the diarrhoea), the animal quickly becomes dehydrated, and loses essential elements needed for growth and general wellbeing.
3: Since the intestinal wall is weakened by the onslaught of the virus, bacteria (germs) secondarily invade the gut, causing further infection, septicemia, and deterioration of the health of the puppy (or adult), and creating a condition of shock just prior to death.
4: Vomiting
5: Loss of appetite
6: Listlessness
7: Fever (especially in the first few days, at the beginning of the ailment).
Other important questions posed by caregivers:
QUESTION: CAN HUMANS GET CPV FROM THEIR DOGS?
Answer: No. Also, a dog/cat cannot be infected by a type of Parvovirus (B19) carried by humans.
QUESTION: CAN THE PET AILING WITH CPV BE TREATED?
Answer: This is one canine disease for which the caregiver needs to have veterinary involvement as early as possible. Please note that the symptoms could exhibit themselves as early as 3 days after the animal has been infected.
QUESTION: WHAT IS THE TREATMENT REGIME?
Answer: The treatment has to focus on alleviating/removing the symptoms. The vet will
prescribe/administer medications to counter the vomiting, fever, diarrhoea, bleeding, dehydration and
listlessness, etc.
It may be better for the caregiver to leave the sick puppy/young adult dog in the vet’s hospital facilities. Where these do not exist, the vet would explain to the caregiver what he/she can administer at home, and how often the ailing animal needs to return to the clinic for treatment. The pet owner/ caregiver must recognise that not only is this viral infection lethal, but the symptoms (once they appear) are devastating.
Vomiting and diarrhoea leads to serious dehydration. The owner might find great difficulty in hydrating an ailing pup which regurgitates even water and surely food. The ensuing “oral liquid intake/vomit” cycle is something even the vet would have difficulty controlling, especially if he/she is seeing the sick animal only once or twice daily.
Actually, the best (only) way to encounter dehydration, while offering energy supplements and treating secondary infections, is to place the animal on an intravenous drip for extended periods.
We shall continue the discussion on CPV next week. If any of your pets is exhibiting symptoms of CPV as described above, please urgently seek veterinary care.
Please continue to support the generous and well-established humane societies, whose objective is to minimise suffering of animals.
