Characteristics of dog herpes virus infection

This disease is mainly an acute and fatal infectious disease in young dogs. It affects the breeding of dogs and can often cause serious economic losses. This disease only attracted people's attention in 1965 after the virus was first isolated in the United States and the United Kingdom and its pathogenic nature was determined. The infection in young dogs is characterized by systemic hemorrhage and necrosis. Infected dogs over 3 weeks old mainly show symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection.

The pathogen of this disease is canine exanthema virus type 1, which has weak resistance to high temperatures and can kill the virus in 4 minutes at 56°C. But it is more resistant to low temperatures.

In an acidic environment (pH 4.5), the virus will lose its toxicity after 30 minutes. The virus can be shed through saliva, nasal fluid and urine. This disease is mainly transmitted through droplets. During delivery, the fetus may also become infected with toxic vaginal secretions from the female dog.

Characteristics of canine herpes virus infection

Canine herpes virus only infects dogs and mainly causes fatal infection in puppies under 2 weeks of age, and in puppies over 3 weeks of age and Symptoms in adult dogs are mild and mainly manifest infection.

Symptoms of canine herpes virus

After puppies under 2 weeks old are infected with this disease, their body temperature often does not rise, they are mentally retarded, have poor appetite or stop nursing. Difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, vomiting, and yellow-green stool. Sick dogs often howl continuously and often die within 24 hours after clinical symptoms appear. Some puppies that have tolerated it often have neurological symptoms such as ataxia, circular movements to one side, and blindness. After infection in puppies and adult dogs aged 3 to 5 weeks, they often do not show systemic symptoms and only cause mild rhinitis and pharyngitis, mainly showing upper respiratory tract symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, and dry cough. Experiments have shown that the virus can multiply slightly on the respiratory and reproductive tract mucous membranes of these sick dogs and become a source of infection.

Pathological autopsy features

Typical lesions in puppies are distributed on the surface of solid organs, with a large number of gray-white necrotic lesions and small hemorrhages about 2-3 mm in diameter. points, especially the kidneys and lungs. There is bloody serous fluid in the chest and abdomen. The spleen was enlarged and the intestinal mucosa was slightly bleeding. Usually, a preliminary diagnosis can be made based on the above clinical characteristics and pathological changes, combined with popular characteristics. Final diagnosis depends on viral isolation or serology.

How to prevent dog herpes virus

There is currently no effective vaccine for this disease. Therefore, comprehensive measures should be taken to prevent this disease, such as not buying dogs from dogs with frequent respiratory diseases; promptly isolating sick dogs when they are found and applying broad-spectrum antibiotics to prevent secondary infections; strengthening disinfection; strengthening feeding management, etc.