German Shephred Body Points

German Shepherd Body Points:

Dog Internal Anatomy

Dog Internal Anatomy:

Dog Muscles

Dog muscles...

Parvo Virus Infection | Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

          Parvo Virus Infection | Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

It is a highly contagious disease of the dog and is notorious for its ability to quickly reduce the animal health and make him lethargic. If the animal is not treated at the early stage of the disease then it can also cause death. It is characterized by enteritis and myocarditis with 100% morbidity rate and 91 % mortality rate in untreated cases, but 10% if treated. It spread with the contact of the body secretions of the infected animal. The virus continues to excrete in the body secretions of the animal for 12-14 days after the recovery. Fomites (Inanimate objects that carrying the disease-causing microorganisms) also play role in the spread of this disease because the virus can remain in the fomites for years. 

Cause / Etiology:

It is caused by the canine parvovirus; a DNA virus. It has mainly two types; CPV-1 and CPV-2.

CVP-1: Canine parvovirus 1 is known as minute virus of canine and is relatively non-pathogenic. But sometimes it causes gastroenteritis, pneumonitis, and myocarditis in puppies with 1-2 weeks of age. 

CPV-2: Canine parvovirus 2 is mainly responsible for classic and notorious enteritis with the signs coming 5-12 days after the infection through the fecal-oral route. This virus has great ability to mutate that sometimes causes the vaccination failure and preferentially invade the rapidly dividing cells of the body like intestinal crypts epithelium. Nowadays CPV2b and CVP2c are most commonly involved, in causing the disease, and these strains can also affect the cat.

Most Susceptible Dog Breeds:

 Doberman, Pinscher, Rottweiler, Pitbull, Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd.

Clinical Signs / Disease Signs:

On the basis of clinical signs, this disease has two form; enteric form and myocardial form.

Initial signs are the depression, anorexia, restlessness, ratching and maybe vomiting without diarrhea. But after the 24-48 hrs due to the viral destruction of intestinal crypts, there is severity in the vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal bleeding. But if diarrhea occurs before 24-48 hrs there will be no intestinal bleeding. The dog will show the signs of polydipsia (increased in thirst and excessive drinking). The color of vomitus will be frothy-yellow and the feces will be brownish semisolid with mucous or blood. 

When excessive intermittent gastric contraction occurs, in this disease then there is a possibility that the bile will be sucked up by the stomach and then vomited out. Vomiting will be so severe that it can cause esophagitis. In this case, you will find the greenish-yellowish color in the vomited material. Mass destruction of intestinal crypts also cause the loss of body proteins and lead to the hypoalbuminemia.

Fever present initially but will become subnormal with the advancement of vomiting and diarrhea. The virus also causes the destruction of the bone marrow progenitors that leads to the neutropenia and make the animal susceptible for the secondary bacterial infection; especially when the damage to the intestinal tract allows the bacterial access to the body. So in severe case septic shock can also occur.

In myocardial form, myocarditis and circulatory failure can occur. Pulmonary edema, cardiogenic shock, and respiratory problems can also be seen. But if the animal survives there will be a possibility for myocardial or circulatory complications. Puppies can take infection in utero (in the womb). Puppies that infect in utero and before 8 weeks of age may develop myocarditis. Death occurs in case of severe dehydration due to enteritis or due to the heart failure in case of myocarditis.  

Diagnosis:

On the basis of history and physical examination findings.

Abdominal radiography with barium based contrast media. The gas or fluid will evident. 

CBC: Neutropenia (but it not confirmed, the parvo because it also happens in salmonellosis).

ELISA is the best diagnosis because the virus comes in the feces with a number of  >10^9 particles per gram of feces. But virus shedding will undetected after the14 days of infection.

Histopathology: Intestinal crypts necrosis.

Treatment:

1. Most dogs will live if they survive the first 5 days of the disease.
2. Use Hyperimmune sera against the parvo. (like Canglob with 0.4ml/kg daily with respect to the disease).
3. Use Antiemetics.
4. NSAIDs are contraindicated in parvovirus enteritis. Opioids such as fentanyl are preferred for analgesic effect but only in a small dose because higher dose can worsen the ileus and cause sedation.
5. If the animal is in shock condition, give him steroids.
6. Give Fluid and electrolyte therapy with supportive therapy( like vitamins, jetipar, neurobion or hepamerz).
7. If the patient is hypoglycemic then do glucose therapy with 5% or 10% glucose, on the basis of the animal condition.
8. Use broadspectrum antibiotics ( like cephalosporins but in shock condition use ampicillin plus amikacin or enrofloxacin. Aminoglycosides should not be given until the rehydration and correction of  the renal perfusion.)
9. If serum albumin protein is less than 2g/dl then administer plasma or a colloidal solution like hetastarch at the dose rate of 10-20 ml/kg.
10. Give liquid diet to the dog(like meat extract or soop).
11. If the patient is continuously regurgitating the food then give him H2 receptor blocker( like cimetidine, ranitidine or famotidine).
12. If you don't find any hyperimmune sera or any other better treatment then a makeshift treatment is also possible; that is related to the blood transfusion. Take blood from a stray dog and inject it to the infected one. But the more correct method is that; take 3-5 ml blood from a stray dog and then obtain serum from this blood then inject approximate 1ml of serum to the infected dog. This is because stray dogs are naturally resistant to the parvovirus and have antibodies against it.

Prevention and Control:

• Separate the infected one from the other healthy animals for 2-4 weeks.
• Vaccination of other dogs or cats. If disease occurs in a group of animals(dogs or cat) that are already vaccinated then after the separation of infected one give a booster dose to the remaining ones but only with inactivated vaccine.
• Take the sanitary measures seriously and clean feces and vomiting material as early as possible and clean the utensils, clothes and the area under the use of the infected dog.
• Clean the premises(like the kennel) and fomites( inanimate objects having virus particles e.g. like eating bowl or toys etc.) under the use of infected dog with 2% formalin or 2% NaOH or 2% sodium hypochlorite.
• Dilute bleach with 1:32 is also a readily available source for disinfection. 
• Always follow the vaccination protocol prescribed by your veterinarian.
• Give 2 doses of vaccine to the pup. 1st at the age of 6-8 weeks and 2nd at the age of 12th weak. Use attenuated vaccine because it has a good response. Before 6 weeks the maternal antibodies are enough for the pup. But in case if the vaccine is necessary before 6 weeks of age; may be due to the presence of disease in a member of a group or in case if the mother was not vaccinated; then use the inactivated vaccine.
• If an adult dog that is not vaccinated before and now on the risk of disease then give him a double dose of vaccine.
• Take care of your pet when you take him out for a walk or go to any hospital for a normal routine checkup. Don't allow your pet to lick the dirty things present around as you know that the virus may present in the environment because the virus can survive in the environment(on the fomites) for a very long period of time.

Zoonotic importance:

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the strain (CPV-B19) of parvovirus virus which cause disease in human, will not cause disease in dogs and cats. And the other strains (CPV2b or CVP2c) that cause disease in the dogs and cats will not cause disease in human.

So, it is not zoonotic.

  

Reference:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)/ Parvovirus B19/Transmission

Small Animal Internal Medicine 4th ed. by Richard W.Nelson and C.G.Couto.

A textbook of Veterinary Preventive Medicine by Chakrabarti.

   

Infectious Canine Hepatitis | Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

   

    It is an acute contagious and a viral disease of dog caused by adenovirus( a virus containing DNA). This virus secretes in the urine, feces, and saliva of an infected animal. A typical thing for this virus is that it continues to come in the urine for up to 196 days( more than 6 months) even after the animal is recovered.

          Susceptible hosts for this virus is canine family but especially dog and fox. This disease in fox is called fox encephalitis because it causes inflammation of the brain in fox. This disease is transmitted by the contact with the secretion of an infected animal. Fomites also play a role in the transmission of this disease. So take care because virus comes in the urine for months after the recovery of the animal.

Pathogenesis:

After the ingestion of the virus, the virus goes to the tonsils and Peyer's patches and then viremia occurs. this virus has the affinity for the epithelial cell and hepatic cell, the hepatocytes. So virus goes to the liver and causes hemorrhages and necrosis of hepatic cells. The virus also causes pathological changes in the spleen. So the liver and spleen and liver congested and enlarged. When the disease extends the superficial lymph nodes also become enlarged, edematous and hemorrhagic.

Clinical Findings:

Apathy, anorexia, jaundice, fever 105 F, vomiting, and diarrhea. Feces are blood tinged. The animal feels abdominal pain. Fever after some time may fall but without balancing at a certain level again rise and remain up to the end of the disease.
The buccal mucous membrane may turn fiery red but often remain yellow as indicating jaundice. If palpate the xiphoid region the animal shows the sign of pain. "Tucked up" condition of the abdomen. Small hemorrhagic spots may also be noted on the ventral abdomen. Hypoglycemia also occurs. After 1-3 weeks following the disappearance of clinical signs, a transient corneal opacity may occur and it is called Hepatic blue eye.

Diagnosis:

• On the basis of clinical signs.
• Histopathological examination: Intranuclear inclusion bodies can be found in the liver, gallbladder, brain, and cornea.
• LFT
• Hematological examination: Leukemia can be found with CBC.
• ELIZA

Treatment:

1. No specific treatment because it is a viral disease.
2. Antiserum if available can be used.
3. Broadspectrum antibiotics to avoid secondary bacterial infection.
4. Fluid and electrolyte therapy.
5. Vit. K and other supportive therapy.

Prevention & Control:

• Vaccination
• Isolation of infected animal.
• Use iodine-based disinfectants to clean the area and utensils under the use of the infected animal.
• Take care of the animal after recovery. And remember the presence of virus in the urine for 6 months.

Reference: A Textbook of Veterinary Preventive Medicine by A.Chakrabarti.

Canine Distemper | Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

        Canine Distemper | Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

 It is a polysystemic disease caused by canine distemper virus(CDV), an RNA virus. It is also called hard pad disease because in this disease the footpad of dog become hard and the animal shows the signs of lameness. Susceptible hosts for this disease are dogs, cat, badgers, skunks, seals, ferrets, and porpoises. This virus replicates in the lymphoid, nervous and epithelial tissues, shed by an animal in respiratory exudate, feces, saliva, urine and in the conjunctival exudate for up to the 60-90 days after the natural infection. Animal at any stage of his life is susceptible to this virus but puppies at the age of 3 to 6 months are highly susceptible and disease is common in this age group of animals.

Clinical signs:

By the 9 to 14 days of infection, the virus replicates in the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenital system of the animal and then the animal will start showing the signs of diseases. CNS infection also occurs in dogs with low immunity. Diphasic fever is the sign of CDV. In this fever the temperature of animal will rise up to the 103-104 F for 72-96hrs then become normal for 11-12 days and then again rise up to the presence of polysystemic disease. When animal recovers from the polysystemic disease, it is still shedding the virus in his body secretions especially in urine. On the basis of the clinical signs, this disease has different forms.

Pulmonary form:

In pulmonary form following signs showed by the animal.
Cough, yellow-greenish oculonasal discharge, tonsillar enlargement, increased bronchial sounds, crackles, and wheezes can be auscultated in a dog with bronchopneumonia.

Digestive Form:

In this form following signs are shown by the animal.
Anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea due to enteritis and abdominal pain. Blood may also come in diarrhea.

Ocular Form:

Mucopurulent ocular discharge, Anterior uveitis, Blindness, dilated pupil and inflammation of the retina and choroid.

Nervous Form:

Hyperesthesia, seizures, paresis (partial paralysis due to the nerve damage), and chorea myoclonus(uncontrolled movement of a muscle or a group of muscles; especially shoulder, hips, and face), chewing gum fits, nystagmus.
In older dogs depression, circling, head pressing and visual defects due to degeneration of the cerebral cortex.

Cutaneous Form:

Hyperkeratosis of nose and footpad, and pustular dermatitis.

Other signs:
Enamel hypoplasia found in dogs that were infected with CDV before the development of permanent dentition. Puppies that are infected transparently can be stillborn, aborted, or born with CNS disease.

Diagnosis:

1. Diagnosis is based on the clinical signs.
2. Hematological examination: Leukopenia and mild thrombocytopenia.
3. CSF antibody titer can be checked against the CDV. But take care in this method that the sample should not be contaminated with blood and should not be vaccinated. After attaining these precautionary measures if you still find antibody titer against CDV in CSF then the diagnosis is confirmed.
4. Rt-PCR 
5. Examination of histopathological examination. Intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies will be detected in lung, brain in gastric samples.

Treatment:

1. There is no specific treatment for canine distemper. But anti-distemper serum can be used at the dose rate of 1-5 ml/kg through IV, IM or SC route.
2. Anticonvulsant drugs like lardopa or pacitane can be used.
3. Use of antibiotic to avoid secondary bacterial infection.
4. Do supportive therapy with normal saline and lactated ringer solution.
5. Glucocorticoids are contraindicated in acute case but can be used in a chronic case.

Prevention & Control:

• Isolation of infected dog. Because the virus can live for approximately one hour in the infected animal secretions.
• Use a disinfectant to clean the area. Because this virus is susceptible to common disinfectants.
• Vaccination of healthy dogs.
• Measles vaccines also effective against CDV.

Zoonoses:

For the zoonotic point of view, the canine distemper is not a zoonotic disease.

Reference: Small Animal Internal Medicine 4th ed. by Richard W.Nelson.