A viral gastrointestinal (GI) infection in dogs is known as parvoviral enteritis (PE). In later life, recovery from PE has been linked to ongoing GI symptoms. The goals of this study were to: (i) ascertain whether dogs that have recovered from PE (post-parvo dogs) are more likely to develop persistent GI symptoms than are control dogs who are not infected with the disease. (ii) To look into the lifestyle and clinicopathologic factors that are connected to post-parvo dogs’ persistent GI symptoms.
In this retrospective cohort study, 86 post-parvo dogs and 52 age-matched control dogs were included. Many years after being treated for PE in a hospital, the owners participated in a questionnaire-based interview to learn more about their dogs’ habits and health. We tested whether parvovirus enteritis and other risk factors are linked to owner-recognized general health issues in all dogs and to owner-recognized persistent GI signs in post-parvo dogs using generalized linear mixed effects models.
When compared to control dogs, post-parvo dogs were more likely to have persistent GI symptoms (57% vs. 25%, P 0). 001). Significant risk factors for enduring GI symptoms in post-parvo dogs included markers of disease severity at the time of hospital admission, such as neutropenia, low body temperature (BT), and use of an antiemetic drug (metoclopramide). For instance, dogs with PE who were hypothermic upon admission to the hospital (BT of 37 2 °C) were 16. GI symptoms are 6 times more likely to appear later in life in hyperthermic dogs (BT of 40). 4 °C). After parvo, dogs with persistent GI symptoms were more likely to develop issues with other organ systems.
The risk of persistent GI symptoms in dogs is significantly increased by parvovirus enteritis, emphasizing the value of prevention. Future research on the mechanisms that connect canine chronic health issues caused by parvovirus enteritis and the risk factors identified in this study may be guided by these factors.
A non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA virus called canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is very contagious among dogs. Parvoviral enteritis (PE), which is brought on by CPV-2 and typically affects puppies, is characterized by severe gastroenteritis in canines [1]. Lethargy, nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and neutropenia are some of the clinical indicators of PE. These clinical symptoms are brought on by a virus that kills neutrophils and intestinal crypt cells, which divide quickly [2]. The small intestine, tonsils, lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, heart, liver, and kidneys are among the organs that are affected by CPV-2 [3]. PE can be successfully managed by in-hospital or outpatient treatment, despite having a mortality rate of 10–20% in untreated dogs [1].
Compared to uninfected control dogs, dogs that recover from parvovirus infection are more likely to develop long-term gastrointestinal (GI) signs [4], but the causes of this increased risk have not been looked into. Comparing the fecal microbiota of CPV-2-infected dogs to control dogs who were not infected, microbiome studies have revealed perturbation [5, 6]. These studies have also discovered that the relative abundance of bacteria like Campylobacter, Bacteroides, and Clostridium, which have been linked to canine inflammatory bowel disease, is higher in the gut microbiome of dogs with CPV-2 infection [5, 6]. Antimicrobials are frequently used to treat secondary bacterial infections in dogs with PE; however, these medications also alter the gut microbiome, with unknown long-term health effects [7,8,9,10,11]. Therefore, changes to the dog’s gut microbiome brought on by CPV-2 and/or antibiotics administered during hospitalization may be related to the emergence of long-term GI symptoms.
Conflicting findings exist regarding the long-term effects of severe diarrhea during early childhood in humans [12,13,14,15]. Children exposed to farms (considered unhygienic environments) and/or infected with non-typhoid Salmonella had a lower risk of developing autoimmune diseases (e g. allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma) later in life [12]. Infants who experienced diarrhea in the first year of life responded to vaccinations in adolescence with a more robust immune response [16]. Contrarily, other studies have demonstrated that infants with severe enteritis have immune system interference, which can lead to food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease [13, 14]. In older children, severe childhood diarrhoea has been linked to physical and cognitive deficits [15]. Adult cases of bacterial gastroenteritis have been linked to gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome [17]. Changes in GI permeability and disruptions in the gut microbiome are two potential mechanisms underlying these long-term effects of severe diarrhea [18, 19].
Our study’s primary objective was to determine whether post-parvo dogs, who have recovered from PE, are more likely than control dogs who are uninfected to experience long-term GI symptoms. The second objective was to determine the risk factors connected to persistent GI symptoms in post-parvo dogs. We hypothesized that clinicopathological surrogate markers of disease severity (e. g. , level of neutropenia, use of antiemetics or antibiotics) would be connected to persistent GI symptoms. Our understanding of how acute viral infections during development affect lifetime health will be improved by identifying the risk factors that determine whether post-parvo dogs will develop long-term GI signs.
Your saved search Name of saved search: Search terms:
Email:
Skin or cardiac disease were not associated with a higher risk in canines with CPV. Furthermore, neither laboratory nor clinical parameters were significantly linked to a higher risk of developing chronic GI disease in later life.
Treatment for CPV is aggressive and frequently includes broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotic therapy. However, early-life antibiotic use has been linked to an increased risk of GI and chronic allergic diseases in human studies.
Does a dog’s later health suffer if they contract parvovirus as puppies? that was the subject of a recent study.
All canines with CPV had acute diarrhea and most also had vomiting; some of the canines’ diarrhea or vomiting was hemorrhagic. All but 5 dogs with CPV received antibiotic therapy. Notably, the diarrhea improved with dietary changes. Most control dogs presented for wellness exams and vaccination.
The researchers gathered 138 questionnaires from the owners of 71 dogs with CPV and 67 dogs without CPV. Dogs with CPV were noticeably younger at presentation compared to control dogs (median age, 12 vs. 27 weeks) and were routinely given endoparasite prevention (94% vs. 79%).
Risk factors that influence persistent GI signs in post-parvo dogs
Our research suggests that dogs with more severe PE symptoms may be more susceptible to lifelong GI signs. There was a significant inverse relationship between the body temperature at hospital admission and the GI signs that persisted at the time of follow-up for the post-parvo dogs (Fig). 2). The likelihood that post-parvo dogs would still exhibit GI symptoms at the time of follow-up was 16 percent. For hypothermic dogs (body temperature of 37), the risk is 6 times higher. 2 °C) compared to hyperthermic dogs (body temperature of 40. 4 °C). Hypothermia at the time of hospital admission is thought to be a sign of severe metabolic disease or shock, according to earlier studies on PE in dogs [2, 28, 29]. When dogs with PE are admitted to the hospital, hypothermia is a sign of the disease’s severity and appears to be a significant risk factor for the development of lifelong persistent GI signs.
Additionally, our research revealed that neutropenia during hospital admission was significantly linked to a higher likelihood of continuing GI symptoms at follow-up (Fig 2). Low blood neutrophil counts, or neutropenia, are a recognized clinical symptom of PE and are consistent with the pathology of PE. Neutropenia is caused by CPV-2’s targeting of the rapidly dividing precursor cells in the bone marrow that produce neutrophils [2, 30]. Because persistent GI symptoms are associated with neutropenia, low neutrophil counts may be a sign of severe PE. In contrast, persistent GI signs at follow-up were positively correlated with total WBC counts during hospitalization for PE. The total WBC count also includes leucocytes like lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes in addition to neutrophils. Given that there was no statistically significant difference between the individual leukocyte values when they were analyzed, the cause of the positive correlation between WBC counts and the likelihood of having persistent GI symptoms at follow-up is unknown. Moreover, it cannot be explained by a consistent rise in another leukocyte type.
The explanatory variables of purebred status, medical history, and time of follow-up were all significant when analyzing the probability of signs in the six organ systems at follow-up for the control dogs and the post-parvo dogs (Fig. 1). The likelihood of persistent GI signs at follow-up for a larger sample of post-parvo dogs (n = 79), which did not include the explanatory variables from the CBC panel, revealed the same result (Sect. 5 of the supplementary material). However, the sample size was reduced (n = 60) when the CBC panel’s explanatory variables were added, and these 3 explanatory variables were no longer statistically significant (Fig. 2). The reasons why purebred status, medical history, and time of follow-up are risk factors for signs in the 6 organ systems in all dogs (control and post-parvo) are likely the same reasons why these three explanatory variables are risk factors for signs in the GI tract persisting in post-parvo dogs.
FAQ
Does parvo affect dogs long-term?
When a dog has recovered from parvo, the virus has no lasting effects. However, some canines might experience digestive issues once the virus has passed. Usually, these issues are resolved within a few weeks to months.
What happens to older dogs that get parvo?
Patients with parvovirus typically present with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and poor appetite. Parvovirus targets the gut cells of the dog. Due to a lack of nutrition remaining in the body, this is why patients experience vomiting and diarrhea, which can result in dehydration or starvation.
Can a dog that survived parvo get it again?
It is unlikely that a dog will get parvo again once they have recovered from it. Your dog is protected from re-infection for several years by the immunity to the virus. A dog could theoretically contract parvo twice, but the likelihood of this happening is extremely low.
How long do dogs live after having parvo?
The majority of parvovirus deaths happen 48 to 72 hours after the onset of clinical signs. If your dog or puppy exhibits any of these symptoms, you should call your veterinarian right away.