Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pathogenesis of Canine Parvovirus Enteritis: The Importance of Viremia
- Journal:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Year:
- 1985
- Authors:
- Meunier, P. C. et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and the James A. Baker Institute, New York State Veterinary College, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In a study involving 22 nine-week-old beagle puppies that had not been exposed to canine parvovirus before, researchers looked at how the virus affects dogs when given either orally or through an injection. About 30% of the puppies showed signs of illness, including fever, depression, vomiting, and diarrhea, with those receiving the injection showing symptoms about two days earlier than those given the virus orally. The most common blood change observed was a drop in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. The presence of the virus in the blood always came before the dogs started shedding the virus in their stool, and sick dogs had higher levels of the virus in both their blood and feces compared to those that were not showing symptoms. Ultimately, the study found that the severity of the intestinal disease was closely linked to how much and how long the virus was present in the blood, and while only one dog died, the findings highlight the importance of monitoring for viremia (the presence of the virus in the blood) in affected dogs.
Abstract
The clinical signs, hematologic changes, serum and fecal virus titers, specific antibody production and the occurrence of histologic lesions were studied in 22 nine-week-old seronegative beagle dogs inoculated by the oral and intravenous route with canine parvovirus. Approximately 30% of the dogs had clinical signs of pyrexia, depression, vomiting, and diarrhea irrespective of the route of inoculation. Events in the dogs inoculated intravenously preceded those in dogs inoculated orally by approximately two days. Only one dog died. Lymphopenia was the most consistent hematologic change. Viremia always preceded the initiation of fecal virus shedding. Viral titers in the serum and feces were significantly greater in symptomatic dogs compared to asymptomatic dogs. Termination of the plasma viremia coincided with the onset of the humoral immune response, but viremia persisted one day longer in symptomatic dogs. The severity of lymphoid tissue and intestinal infection, assessed by tissue immunofluorescence and histology, was also greater in symptomatic dogs. The severity of intestinal disease was highly correlated with the magnitude and duration of viremia.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://doi.org/10.1177/030098588502200110