I think it is well worth our while to dwell intensely on this topic of CPV, not lastly because, when this disease reaches epidemic proportions, too many puppies (as early as 6 weeks of age) and young adult dogs (even as old as 12 months of age) die a horrible death associated with bloody diarrhoea, incessant and uncontrollable vomiting, total loss of appetite, and great listlessness. The agony in the family having to observe this ailment leading to the death of unvaccinated sick puppies and young unvaccinated adult dogs is extremely painful. It is also painful for the veterinarian who receives the CPV-infected animal too late after the infection had set it.
We concluded last week’s PET CARE column by answering some of the questions caregivers have posed relative to the Canine Parvovirus infection. Today we shall discuss some other salient issues raised by concerned companion animal caregivers.
Question: How contagious is this disease?
Answer: CPV is highly contagious. But before we expand further, we must firstly understand what “contagious” means. It is the process by which a disease is transmitted from one animal to another by direct or indirect means. It is important that the pet owner or breeder, or a member of a shelter management staff clearly grasp the gravity of this definition.
The contagion is associated with/due to shedding of the virus in faeces (the animal’s stool), and persistence of the CPV in the environment.
Faeces are infectious as early as 3-4 days after CPV exposure. Researchers have found that significant viral shedding continues for approximately 10-14 days.
Actually, latest research has revealed that CPV shedding can continue for up to 4 weeks after infection! I have not found in the literature whether, after 4 weeks, other dogs can be infected during this extended period. This knowledge would be crucial in the fight against CPV, once the deaths are in a kennel or shelter, or within a litter of newborn puppies. If the infection level of the virus recedes, then caregivers would have bought more time to institute measures delineated in last week’s PET CARE column.
Even as vets and caregivers begin to defend the ailing animals by instituting therapeutic regimes/protocols, the virus would be reducing its infectivity. That’s good news. Moreover, because the virus in the faeces would be exposed to sunlight/drying conditions, which kill it, the infectivity would be reduced.
It should be noted that CPV has been proven to survive in the soil for up to 7 months. Knowing this gives us time to sanitise the area physically, by removing topsoil and exposing it to sunlight; and chemically, by using strong chemicals in the areas where the adult and young animals tend to congregate.
Question: Is there a variation in CPV disease severity associated with other factors?
Answer: Yes. For example, dogs older than one year tend less to be infected and to succumb. They are old and strong enough to accommodate robust treatment protocols.
Also, puppies that suckle a mother who had contracted (and survived) the disease earlier in her life stand a better chance, due to the transmission of maternal antibodies (biological defence chemicals produced in response to a previous CPV infection).
The CPV disease remains, to my mind, one of the most lethal ailments which unvaccinated puppies (and young adult dogs) can encounter. You are urged to take the animal to the veterinarian immediately the moment you notice any of the symptoms. Do not wait to see if the diarrhoea would stop on its own. Or worse, do not diagnose what you think the problem is and then treat the pup/young adult by yourself.
Above all, commence the vaccination regime of your puppies against CPV at 6 weeks of age. The vaccines that are currently being produced and administered protect the animals not only against CPV, but many other killer diseases – including Canine Distemper, Leptospirosis, etc. Exploit this knowledge and actual availability of such a disease preventative vaccine.
Next week we will commence discussion on the Parvovirus infectious agent, and how it affects cats. Parvovirus.
