Enteritis in dogs: symptoms and prevention measures

Among enteric virus diseases of dogs, enteritis occupies a special place. Firstly, because this infection is highly contagious, secondly, the mortality rate 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 lethality is especially high. In addition, the disease is seasonal in nature, its peak falls on spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) months. In summer and winter, single cases are recorded. Puppy disease is quite difficult to bear , dogs over 2 years old are seldom ill, and their symptoms are often erased.

Symptoms of intestinal lesions in dogs can be in other infections, for example, with plague, viral hepatitis and others. However, enteritis in dogs, the symptoms of which are usually quite pronounced, has its own characteristics.

Parvovirus enteritis

A dog is especially susceptible to this infection for up to a year. It is noticed that representatives of ornamental and cultural breeds are more often ill. The virus is transmitted by contact from carriers and sick animals. In nurseries, the infection spreads through care items, mittens of personnel, and also it is carried by rats, mice and flies. The incubation period can last up to 10 days. The manifestations of the disease include:

• Diarrhea, feces with blood, yellow or gray, with fetid odor;
• Severe vomiting;
• Refusal of feed;
• Increase in temperature to 40-41 degrees;
• Shortness of breath (severe) after vomiting or diarrhea;
• Inflamed, uneven and swollen mucous membrane, there are also erosions;
• Inflamed and enlarged lymph nodes.

Disease, as a rule, is acute. In puppies up to 3 months, besides profuse diarrhea with blood and vomiting, there are often signs of heart damage, while they breathe heavily, whine, lose appetite. Enteritis in dogs, the symptoms of which appear suddenly, can lead to death within a few days (2-5). The ill animals often have complications in the form of heart failure, which can also lead to death within the next months. Postponed disease dogs can spread the infection for another 4 weeks, the virus remains on the paws and wool.

Coronavirus enteritis

In 1971, the disease caused by this virus was first recorded in Germany. Later, there were reports that coronavirus enteritis was detected in dogs also in America and Asia. Susceptible to infection of dogs of any age, but more often the virus affects puppies up to 5 months. The incubation period lasts no more than 5 days. The routes of infection are the same as in parvovirus infection. Coronavirus enteritis in dogs, whose symptoms also differ little from parvovirus, is still considered a less dangerous disease. With this infection, there is no damage to the heart and there is no high temperature.

Treatment

The final diagnosis can be made only on the basis of the results of the study of stool masses by the luminescent method, and serological diagnosis is also used. As a specific agent, hyperimmune polyvalent serum is administered, which is administered firstly to the disease. Use of serum 3 days after the first manifestations is almost useless. Immunomodulators, antibiotics with concomitant bacterial infection are also used. To combat dehydration, colloidal solutions are used.

Prevention of disease

Until now, despite the availability of new drugs in the arsenal of veterinarians, enteritis in dogs is considered a rather formidable disease. Symptoms are severe enough, the disease manifests itself violently and often leads to the death of animals for 2 days. The only effective way to save a pet from a very serious illness, to date is vaccination.

Applied polyvalent vaccines, both imported and domestic production. Vaccinations for dogs are done twice a year, with an interval of 3 weeks. The vaccine after the year is administered once.