Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ! This was a request 
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ are small viruses that tend to infect the nucleus of cells they infect. There are many different types of parvoviruses, so today we will specifically talk about canine parvovirus, which is a common cause of diarrhea in dogs.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Dogs, coyotes, wolves and other canids are susceptible to this virus. This virus can affect all ages of dogs, however we most commonly see it in young, unvaccinated dogs these days.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This virus is spread between animals by ingesting feed contaminated with feces from an infected animal, or from interacting with the environment an infected animal has been in. After the virus enters the animal, it invades into the tonsils and ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ซโ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ (the lymph nodes of the intestine). From there, the virus spreads to the surface of the intestine, where it causes damage to the cells. The cells of the intestine surface are normally what allows an animal to absorb nutrients and water, so these animals develop a profound diarrhea because they simply canโt absorb what theyโre eating.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Having massive, uncontrolled diarrhea is a big problem, especially in younger animals. Without being able to absorb water properly, these animals become severely dehydrated. They also can have severe imbalances of sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes because they canโt absorb them from their diet. These animals often bleed into their intestinal tract as well due to the surface damage, which can cause them to become anemic. Ultimately, all of these different factors can lead to death in these patients, unless they are properly, and quickly, treated.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
This disease is a top consideration in any young dog presenting with diarrhea. To confirm the diagnosis, the feces is tested for the virus directly, or the animalโs blood may be tested for antibodies against the virus.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
Any dog positive for parvovirus must be quarantined immediately, to prevent spread of infection. From there, these dogs need to receive fluid therapy and electrolytes straight away to counteract the dehydration. They also often need nutrients delivered directly into their bloodstream, since their intestine canโt do its job absorbing nutrients! This treatment is often extremely labour-intensive and costly, requiring 24/7 veterinary care and monitoring.
The best method of prevention is vaccination, especially because most infected dogs do not develop symptoms! These dogs can shed infective viral particles into the environment, all while appearing perfectly healthy. Furthermore, this virus can persist for months to years in the environment, just waiting to infect your dog. So if your dog interacts with any other dogs, or even interacts with an environment other dogs have been in, it is super important to vaccinate against this disease to prevent your pet from getting infected.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Examples of very sad intestines in parvovirus patients. As mentioned before, this virus often causes blood loss into the intestine, which can make an already sick patient even worse!
5) An example of the intestine seen under the microscope. Those big purpley blobs are actually the virus, hanging out in something called an ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ. This intestine is also showing signs of ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐, or growth, as it desperately tries to repair the damage caused by the virus.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Gallagher, A. Canine Parvovirus. Merck Veterinary Manual, 2020.
Photo 1 ยฉ University of Calgary Diagnostic Services Unit.
Photos 2-5 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Weeks, Sagartz, Ramos, Nuehring licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
