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Written by Jonathan Green
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Canine herpes virusCanine herpes virus or also called as fading puppy syndrome is a common viral infection that normally affect the reproductive organs of mature dogs. Although most mature dogs infected by this canine herpes or CHV usually don’t show any visual herpes symptoms the infection could still lead to deal results in some newborn puppies. Among several puppies that are give birth to, one puppy might be affected to even cause death suddenly with minimal or no warning at all or but in some cases the puppy might also perish within the next 24 hours. In case the disease is controlled when the puppies get a bit older than 3 weeks there would be no signs of severe death conditions. The older puppies generally have a high change of fighting the infection but it might still have some long term effects through this unrelenting canine herpes infection.
How is canine herpes virus transmitted?The CHV normally lives in respiratory and reproductive tracts of the both the female and male dogs. However in mature dogs the disease is often transmitted through direct contact and aerosol while there are also other factors that contribute in the transmission of the disease such as sneezing, nosing, coughing, licking, sniffing and sexual activities with an infected dog. Most often, the puppies bond with the disease right in the birth canal or through oral secretions and nasal of the mother dog shortly after their birth. The puppies could also likely spread this virus to other puppies in the clan. However it does not mean that all the puppies are infected by CHV in case one is. You might also wonder whether your CHV infected dog could transmit the infection to you, but fortunately the disease is not transmitted to humans which means you are at no risk of being infected by canine herpes.
Canine herpes symptoms in puppies- Lethargy, weakness and crying
- Sudden death of the puppy
- Bruising of abdomen or painful abdomen
- Lack of suckle appetite or reflex
- Soft green/yellow faces
- Nasal discharge or respiratory difficulty
- Some older puppies could develop nervous system abnormalities along with seizures and blindness
- Herorrhages like small bruises and nose bleeding
- Canine herpes symptoms in mature dogs
When it comes to mature dogs there are often no common symptoms observed but there could still be a few signs such as
- Kennel cough
- Stillbirth
- Abortion
- Occasionally raised genitals sores could be observed
Diagnosis of canine herpesIn case a new born puppy dies or is stillborn with the infection, a necropsy can be performed to resolve the cause of death. However there could be several other reasons for the sudden death of the puppy and so you might want to evaluate whether the other puppies are at risk and what care should be taken. In this case you can call your veterinarian to get proper instructions to get things arranged for the dog’s care. Most mature dogs are normally tested for canine herpes virus in case they are anticipated for breeding of if their history claims they have a problem with this virus. The veterinarian might also check the blood work to find out any recent exposure of CHV. Therefore when you find some common symptoms in your pet dogs or puppies like the above mentioned ones, make sure you immediately get them diagnosed to find out whether they are infected or to know what care should be taken to prevent any viral infection.
Treatment of canine herpesIn case you feel that a newborn puppy shows symptoms such as fading or being unwell then it is important that you contact a vet. However if a CHV is confirmed then proper treatment could start with an antiviral medication followed by encouraging care. Moreover it is also important you keep the puppies warm because the virus normally requires a low temperature for survival. Regrettably, death could often occur rapidly in the CHV infected puppies in spite of good care.
Prevention of canine herpes virusThe CHV is quite a common virus that most of the mature dogs get infected by. However there are still some ways to fight this disease from infecting the young puppies by just preventing contact of bred mother dog with other adult does and also the exposure of the young puppies to other adult dogs. Moreover it is also important to isolate the pregnant mother dog from other dogs and mostly during high risk period which should be both after the pregnancy and during the first few weeks after giving birth. You should know that there is a CHV vaccine available but it has not yet been licensed to be used in the United States. In case you think that your dog or the puppies are infected by canine herpes virus them make sure you immediately seek veterinary care. |
