Among infectious viral diseases of dogs, enteritis occupies a special place. Firstly, because this infection is highly contagious, and secondly, mortality from the disease is also quite high, on average, 30%, in puppies up to 50-70%.
There are parvovirus enteritis in dogs and coronavirus. The first is much more common. It is proved that sometimes animals can be infected with two viruses at once, in this case the mortality rate is especially high. In addition, the disease is seasonal in nature, its peak occurs in the spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) months. In summer and winter, isolated cases are recorded. Puppies are quite difficult to tolerate , dogs older than 2 years rarely get sick, and their symptoms are often erased.
Signs of bowel damage in dogs can also be with other infections, for example, with plague, viral hepatitis and others. However, enteritis in dogs, whose symptoms are usually quite pronounced, has its own characteristics.
Parvovirus enteritis
Dogs up to a year are especially susceptible to this infection. It is noticed that representatives of decorative and cultural breeds are more often sick. The virus is transmitted by contact from carriers and sick animals. In nurseries, the infection spreads through care items, staff mittens, as well as rats, mice and flies. The incubation period can last up to 10 days. The manifestations of the disease include:
- diarrhea, bowel movements with blood, yellow or gray, with a fetid odor;
- severe vomiting;
- refusal of feed;
- temperature increase to 40-41 degrees;
- shortness of breath (heavy) after vomiting or diarrhea;
- inflamed, uneven and swollen mucosa, there are erosions;
- inflamed and enlarged lymph nodes.
The disease, as a rule, is acute. In puppies up to 3 months, in addition to profuse diarrhea with blood and vomiting, signs of heart damage are often observed, while they are breathing heavily, whining, losing their appetite. Enteritis in dogs, whose symptoms appear suddenly, can lead to death within a few days (2-5). Ill animals often have complications in the form of heart failure, which can also lead to death in the following months. Dogs that have survived the disease can spread the infection for another 4 weeks, the virus remains on its paws and hair.
Coronavirus enteritis
In 1971, the disease caused by this virus was first reported in Germany. Later, there was evidence that coronovirus enteritis was detected in dogs also in America and Asia. Dogs of any age are susceptible to infection, but more often the virus infects puppies up to 5 months. The incubation period lasts no more than 5 days. Routes of infection are the same as for parvovirus infection. Coronavirus enteritis in dogs, the symptoms of which also differ little from parvovirus, is still considered a less dangerous disease. With this infection, no heart damage is observed and there is no high temperature.
Treatment
The final diagnosis can be made only on the basis of the results of a study of feces by the luminescent method, and serological diagnosis is also used. As a specific agent, hyperimmune polyvalent serum is used, which is introduced at the beginning of the disease. Using serum 3 days after the first manifestations is almost useless. Immunomodulators and antibiotics are also used for concomitant bacterial infections. Colloidal solutions are used to combat dehydration .
Disease prevention
Until now, despite the availability of the latest drugs in the arsenal of veterinarians, enteritis in dogs is considered a rather formidable disease. The symptoms are quite severe, the disease manifests violently and often leads to the death of animals within 2 days. The only effective way to protect a pet from a very serious illness is vaccination today.
Polyvalent vaccines of both imported and domestic production are used. Vaccinations for dogs up to a year are done twice, with an interval of 3 weeks. The vaccine is administered once after a year.