VIRAL DISEASES OF ALIMENTARY CANAL IN CANINES

Submited by:-
Navneet Singh Bajwa
PARVO VIRUS INFECTION
Etiology
• Parvo virus
• DNA virus
• Smallest known virus
Transmission
Direct contact with animal or its secretions.

Pathogenesis
• Virus multiplies in cells undergoing mitosis
(Reason why pups are victimized).
• Affinity for lymphatic system, thus immunosuppresive effect.
• Initial phase of infection – Leucopaenia, but does not persist once
symptoms starts to appear.
• Virus attacks vascular epithelium and germinal layers of liver cells.
• Death due to severe dehydration as a result of enteritis.

Clinical Findings
Two forms of manifestations
1)Parvo Virus Enteritis.
2)Parvo Virus Myocarditis.

Parvo Virus Enteritis

• Slight to high rise of temperature intially which gradually turns to
subnormal level.
• Vomition & diarrhoea.
Vomit is frothy yellow coloured.
• Brownish semi-solid faeces mixed with excess mucus.
This is followed by foetid haemorrhagic diarrhoea.
• Inappetance, polydipsia, restlessness.
Diagnosis
• Clinical Symptoms.
• Haematology:- leukopenia
• Haemagglutination
• Haemagglutination Inhibtion.
• ELISA:- Detection of CPV antigen.

Treatment
• No specific treatment.
For symptomatic treatment:-
• Fluids and electrolytes.
• Broad spectrum antibiotics (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin).
• Anti-emetics:- Metoclopramide, ondensetron.
• H2 receptor blocker:- Ranitidine, Famotidine.\
• Anti-diarrhoeal drugs:- Lopramide.
• Donot feed dog for at least 24 hours in case of persistant vomition.
• Solid food should be given only when diarrhoea and vomition subsides.

Control
• Strict hygienic measures
• All excreta of infected animal must be properly disposed
• Premises should be disinfected.
CORONA VIRUS INFECTION

Highly conagious disease of domestic animals especially of canine of young age

group, characterised by gastroenteritis.

Etiology
• Caused by Corona virus.
• RNA virus.
• High affinity for gastrointestinal tract.
Severity of corona virus infection is influenced by factors like stress, age,
environmtal conditions, etc.

Transmission:- Faecal contamination and vomition.

Pathogenesis
• Virus invade small and large intestine.
• Damage intestinal villi.
• Fluid from intestine cannot be absorbed.
• Profuse diarrhoea.
• Dehydration due to diarrhoea and vomition.

Clinical Findings
• Enteritis
• Depression, lethargy and anorexia.
• Sudden onset of vomition which may sometimes contain blood.
• Faecal materials has yellow orange colour with mucus and blood and is
foul smelling
 • Dehydration and weight loss which may lead to death.
• Nasal and occular discharge.

Lesions
Lesions are mostly found in intestine.
Villi are atrophied and desquamated.

Diagnosis
• Based on history.
• Clinical signs
• Drop in both WBC (lymphocytes).
• Serological:- AGID, CIE, ELISA, PCR.

Differential Diagnosis
Canine Distemper
• Diphasic fever
• Hard pad
• Neurological & pneumonic complications.
Canine Parvo Virus
• Below six months of age are frequently affected.

Treatment
• No specific treatment.
• Supportive treatment:- Antibiotics like Tetracycline, chloramphenicol to
prevent secondary bacterial infection.
• Anti-diarrhoeal drugs
• Fluid therapy.
Control
Canine Corona Virus vaccine (killed virus).
NobiVac-C, Biocan-C @ 1ml S/C or I/M at 6 week age.
Booster:- 3 week later.
Annually revaccination.

INFECTIOUS CANINE HEPATITIS

It is an acute contagious viral disease of dog irrespective of their ages and is

characterised by high rise of temperature vomition, diarrhoea and cinvulsions.
Synonyms:- Rubarth’s disease, Hepatitis contagiosa canis, Contagious hepatitis.

Etiology
Canine Adeno Virus
Virus is present in saliva, urine and faeces during acute illness.
Tansmission
Through urine
Ingestion

Pathogenesis
• Tonsil & peyer’s patches get infected
• Viraemia
• affinity for epithelial, mesothelial and hepatic cells.
• Haemorrhage and necrosis of hepatic cells.
• Liver and spleen congested and enlarged.
• Superficial lymph nodes are congested edematous and Haemorrhagic.
Clinical Symptoms
Three forms:-
• Per-Acute form
• Acute form
• Inapparent form

Per-Acute Form :- Death within few hours.

Acute Form :-
• Starts with anorexia, fever.
• Followed by vomition, diarrhoea.
• Faeces often blood tinged.
• Corneal opacity may develop which is due to haemorrhage and
ulceration in eye, and is also known as BLUE EYE.

Sub-acute Form :-
• More common in dogs above 1 year.
• Slight rise in body temperature.
• Enlargement of tonsils.
Lesion:- PAINT BRUSH haemorrhage of gastric mucosa.

Diagnosis :-
1. History and Clinical Signs.
2. Clinical Pathology:- Leukopaenia, anaemia & increased ESR.
3. Abdominal paracentesis:- It yields a fluid from clear yellow to bright red
depending upon extent and haemorrhage.
4. Intra-nuclear inclusion bodies in liver & gall bladder.
 5. ELISA.

TREATMENT
• No specific treatment.
• Severely affected cases may require blood transfusion @ 2.5- 4 ml/kg of
body weight.
• Broad spectrum antibiotics.
• Fluid and electrolytes.

CANINE DISTEMPER
It is also known as canine influenza or hard pad disease and is characterised by
biphasic fever, leukopaenia, bronchopneumonia, gastroenteritis and
encephalitis.

Etiology:- Caused by canine distemper virus.

Transmission:- Inhalation, through secretions and excretions.

Clinical Findings.
Digestive Form:-
• Loss of appetite, vomition and abdominal pain.
• Semisolid or loose faeces which are foul smelling.
• Haemorrhagic enteritis in young pups.
Other forms are Pulmonary, Occular, Nervous and cutaneous form.
Diagnosis:-
1. History and clinical signs.
2. Presence of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies.
3. Rapigen Distemper Ag test:- To detect CDV antigen in serum, plasma and
conjuctiva.

Treatment
• No specific treatment.
For symptomatic treatment:-
• Fluids and electrolytes. (RL, NS)
• Broad spectrum antibiotics.
• Anti-emetics:- Ondensteron @0.5mg/kg B.wt.
• H2 receptor blocker:- Ranitidine @0.5mg/kg B.wt.
• Anti-diarrhoeal drugs:- Lopramide @0.1mg/kg B.wt.

CANINE ROTA VIRUS

It is a disease of pups, charcterized by enteric infection and watery to mucoid

diarrhoea.
Aetiology:- Rota virus of family Reoviridae.

PATHOGENESIS
• Virus is comparatively acid resistant.
• After ingestion, passes to stomach and reach intestine.
• Infects intestinal villi.
• Villi become short due to degeneration & necrosis.
• Malabsorption &Diarrhoea
Clinical Findings
• Watery to mucoid diarrhoea.
• Symptoms mostly seen in pups.
• If frequency of diarrhoea is more, dehydration may also develop.

Diagnosis
• History and clinical signs.
• Serum nutralization test, ELISA.

Treatment
It is a self limiting disease and subsides after 4-5 days. To prevent the
secondary bacterial infection, symptomatic treatment can be given:-
• Broad spectrum antibiotics.
• Fluid and electrolytes.
• Anti-diarrhoeal drugs.
There is no specific vaccine available as this disease cannot
cause any serious threat to the dogs.

Prevention and Control

• No specific vaccine available.
• Properly dispose faeces since that is the main source of infection.

VACCINATION
Canigen DHPPi+L, Nobivac DHPPi and Mega-Vac 6 are the commonly available
vaccines.
Strains covered under these vaccines are:-
• Canine Distemper
 • Canine Adeno Virus 1 and 2
• Parvo Virus.
• Parainfluenza.
• Leptospira icterohaemorrhagica & L. canicola.
(Megavac-6 has all the above strains except Parainfluenza).
Vaccination can be done at 6 week of age. Booster dose can be given after 21
days, and then repeated annually.