Enteritis in dogs parvovirus, coronavirus and bacterial - symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods. Enteritis in dogs: types, symptoms and treatment

When you bring a puppy into the house, it is a great joy and responsibility. In fact, such an acquisition can be compared with the birth of a child. In developed countries, before buying a dog, you will have to get a paid consultation from a cynologist who will find out how much time you are ready to devote to raising it, whether you have the opportunity to feed and treat your pet properly. The second point is the most critical. Veterinary services are very expensive today.

At the same time, each owner receives basic information about the need for vaccination and about the symptoms of the most formidable diseases. One of these is enteritis. In dogs, it is very difficult and often leads to the death of the animal. Therefore, the sooner you see a doctor, the greater the chance of recovery.

General information

Every owner cannot be a veterinarian. But it's not that hard to recognize. The clinical picture is very bright. This is an infectious disease, or rather, a whole group that cause intestinal inflammation. Almost all important organs are affected.

Vaccination is the only way to protect your pet's body. Breed predisposition has not been identified, any animal can get sick. Therefore, if the breeder claims that he did not vaccinate because these dogs do not get sick, it is better to look for another one. They are just trying to deceive you. Most often, this disease affects puppies and older dogs. But susceptibility to infection persists at any age.

Two forms of the disease

Only an experienced veterinarian can distinguish between them, and even then only if he has enough time. Most often, animals are brought to the clinic already in serious condition, since enteritis in dogs often develops rapidly. It also happens that animals are simultaneously diagnosed with both forms, but this phenomenon is quite rare. In different cases, the symptoms can be either identical or diametrically opposed. So, what forms are we talking about?

In 93% of cases, the disease is caused by parvovirus. That is why it bears the appropriate name. Treatment in dogs should begin as early as possible, as the disease quickly leads to dehydration and death. In 80% of cases, the disease occurs with intestinal damage. The animal becomes lethargic. Of course, there can be a lot of reasons, but such a symptom should alert the owner. The cardiac form is observed in 20% of cases. The pathogen enters the myocardium and causes disruption of the heart and lungs.
Coronavirus enteritis. In dogs, in this case, the tops of the intestinal villi are affected. There is an acute form of the course of the disease, in which the animal does not eat or drink, it has vomiting and diarrhea, while the stool is bright yellow. The mild form is accompanied by slight lethargy. In principle, you can do without treatment. The right diet will allow the body to give all its strength to fight the virus and win.

How the disease develops and proceeds

Since it is viral in nature, contact with a carrier is required for infection. The incubation period can last one day or a week. All this time the dog can walk on the site and communicate with other members of his family. Water and food can also become a source of infection. Viruses perfectly tolerate the effects of gastric juice. The period from infection to the appearance of the first symptoms is not in vain called the incubation period. During this time, the viruses are successfully introduced into the mucosa. Active reproduction of pathogenic microflora begins, which entails the destruction of the cells of the intestinal lining.

All animals get sick. Half of the adults die. For puppies, this figure is even higher, at around 90%. At the first sign of illness, you need to contact a good clinic and begin effective treatment.

Symptoms

The cardiac form is not so common, and coronovirus enteritis rarely affects animals that were born to dogs with good immunity. Or it passes in such a mild form that one can assume a banal bowel disorder. The most dangerous is parvovirus enteritis.

In dogs, it develops so rapidly that sometimes the owners do not even have time to do anything. Leaving for work, they note that the pet is not too active, and in the evening they find the animal half dead from dehydration due to profuse vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms of enteritis in dogs can appear and progress at lightning speed, in which case, most likely, you will lose your pet. But let's look at everything in order:

At the very beginning of the disease, the animal refuses to play. During the day, diarrhea begins. The feces are liquid, yellow. The temperature can rise to 40 degrees or, conversely, fall to 19.5 ° C. Sometimes vomiting starts. Such symptoms are typical for coronovirus enteritis.
On the second day, the skin loses its elasticity.
With parvovirus enteritis on the first day of illness, bowel movements occur every 20-40 minutes. The stool is greenish and watery. Vomiting occurs every 30 minutes.
Symptoms of enteritis in a dog will only progress. On the second day, vomiting and diarrhea occur at intervals of one to two hours.
Shortness of breath begins.
After 12 hours, the pet's condition is rapidly deteriorating.

The owner should be well aware that it is impossible to delay now. If there is a veterinary ambulance in the city, you can call it. Otherwise, you will have to take the dog to the clinic yourself. It is best if you have a veterinarian who takes care of the pet from the very first visit. In this case, he knows the entire vaccination schedule, health status and previous diseases. This is very important for rapid diagnosis and adequate treatment.

Physiological changes

Signs of enteritis in a dog are a consequence of the processes that are currently taking place inside the body. You can not try to act only on the symptoms, that is, block vomiting and diarrhea with the help of special tools like Cerucal and Imodium. Swelling of the stomach causes squeezing of the receptors, so vomiting will only intensify.

But the main changes occur in inflammation, the mucous membranes are destroyed and come out in pieces along with the feces. This is typical for parvovirus enteritis. Inflammation of the stomach leads to vomiting, intestines to diarrhea. A large number of cells disintegrate, which causes the release of toxins. This disrupts the functioning of the blood vessels. Dehydration of the body is also increased because the fluid moves into the cells of the intestine, which only activates the reflex of its emptying. The viscosity of the blood increases, and the heart begins to work with overload.

immune response

Of course, the body is trying to fight. But viral enteritis in a dog that has not previously been vaccinated is too severe. The body responds by producing antibodies. For 5-6 days in the blood they accumulate enough to bind viruses. But most of the pathogens at this time are in the intestines and myocardium. Dehydration and lack of nutrition complete the picture. The disease develops faster than the body's defenses work. Without therapy, death occurs on days 2-5 or 7-12.

And today there are breeders who refuse to vaccinate puppies, arguing that vaccines are dangerous. But is it worth talking about how many dogs die if vaccination is ignored. Yes, there is a certain risk, but it is not so great.

Treatment

It begins with a visit to the doctor, examination and diagnosis. A very important point is the type and course of the disease. With a mild form of coronovirus enteritis, only puppies and weakened animals need treatment. They will be prescribed a special diet, antibiotics and immunostimulants, as well as vitamins. This diagnosis has the most favorable prognosis. Usually in a few days the pet will feel better, and the doctor will allow him to finish the course at home. By the way, many are interested in where the treatment of dogs should be carried out. Enteritis is insidious. But much depends on the clinical picture. In severe cases, it is best to leave the pet in a hospital, under round-the-clock medical supervision.

The main directions in treatment

The course of viral enteritis in dogs can vary greatly. Despite this, there are several directions in the treatment that modern veterinarians adhere to.

Destruction of viruses. This is achieved through sera that contain antibodies.
Recovery of lost fluid. Even if you go to the clinic as soon as symptoms appear, your dog can be dehydrated within hours. Not to mention if the vomiting and diarrhea started at night and the trip was postponed until the morning.
Removal of toxins from the body.
Maintaining immunity.
Restoration of the work of the stomach and intestines, heart.

Each of these directions is one of the components of the overall effective scheme. It is for this reason that only a competent doctor should be engaged in the appointment of a course.

Features of therapy for the intestinal form of parvovirus enteritis

In general, therapy has something in common with the treatment of the acute form of coronavirus. Let's take a look at the main events:

In the first three days, doctors actively use immunoglobulin and hyperimmune sera.
To avoid dehydration, a 5% solution of glucose and Reopoliglyukin is used.
Be sure to prescribe immunostimulants - "Cycloferon", "Fosprenil", up to the extinction of the symptoms of enteritis. Treatment of dogs should take place under the strict supervision of a doctor, the name of the drugs is given for information only.
If serious damage to the intestines is obvious, then antibiotics must be prescribed. This is required to suppress the secondary microflora.
Preparations to support the heart - "Mildronate", "Sulfocamphocaine".

Additionally, the doctor selects an individual diet. Since it will take a long time to treat enteritis in a dog, a scheme for visiting the clinic is being developed. It may be more convenient to leave the pet on a day hospital. And at home, the doctor paints procedures for every day.

Features of treatment for cardiac form

It occurs less frequently, and it is not always possible to correctly diagnose the disease at the initial stage, which affects the effectiveness of therapy. Do not forget that the treatment of enteritis in dogs at home, without constant supervision and doctor's prescriptions, very rarely leads to positive results. Most likely, your pet will die.

In the cardiac form, rapid intravenous administration of solutions is dangerous. Long, slow infusions are recommended. Up to the round-the-clock introduction. The rest of the treatment will be the same as described above. But there are also some differences. If a dog has been ill with this form of the disease, it needs lifelong maintenance therapy.

Treatment with folk methods

Based on the above, one can understand how serious this disease is and how unpleasant the symptoms accompanying enteritis are. Treatment of dogs at home, without special training and knowledge, in most cases leads to the death of the animal. Do not resort to the advice of friends and give the dog vodka to drink. She will not recover from this, but you will deal a significant blow to the liver and intestines, which need protection.

Even with adequate therapy, the chance of death of the animal is high. And in case of delay or incorrect actions, the likelihood of the pet's survival is sharply reduced. Treatment with folk methods is allowed only with a mild course of the disease and after consultation with a veterinarian.

Memo to the owner

Even before the appearance of the first symptoms, it is impossible to force-feed the animal. If, with a mild form, the pet retains an appetite, then this should be a dietary food. It is best not to give anything other than water without consulting a veterinarian.

After the crisis has passed, it is necessary to introduce food very carefully. The intestines are now a continuous wound. Rough, fatty foods will cause severe pain and will not be digested. As a result, you will be thrown back in your treatment, and you will have to return to the veterinarian for help. After enteritis, the intestines recover for a long time. The dog may continue to vilify. Therefore, we need a competent program to restore the body, the constant use of probiotics.

Diet

When your pet shows interest in food, you should offer him a light broth. It can be chicken or beef. It is better if it will be a second brew. Now it is very important to provide a gentle diet and not overfeed the dog, even if he asks for supplements. The intestines are still too weak to experience a new shock.

Boiled rice porridge in water will also be useful. It envelops the intestines and stimulates the growth of a new protective layer. After two days, you can give chopped meat, and then cottage cheese and kefir. All food should be fresh and warm. You need to increase the number of servings gradually. After about 2-3 weeks, you can return to your normal diet.

Consequences

Even a mild course of the disease does not mean that the body will fully recover. A full range of therapeutic measures also does not guarantee the absence of consequences. Consider only the most common complications that the attending physician will definitely warn about:

Lameness. It may be temporary or remain for life.
A sick puppy will not be able to catch up with his peers. He will forever lag behind in growth and development.
About two weeks after recovery, polyps may begin to form in the oral cavity. They need to be removed.
Bitches often remain barren.
Heart failure most often remains for life.

Prevention

Terrible and serious disease can be prevented in only one way. This is vaccination. Good nutrition and optimal conditions, timely walks - none of the above guarantees even minimal protection against the virus. The dog's immune system is unable to cope with it.

Puppies need to be vaccinated from 3-4 months of age. Before that, it is not recommended to take the pet to the walking area where there are other animals. Experienced dog breeders say that during this period you need to wash the floors more often. After visiting the street, you must take off your shoes and wash your hands with soap. Today, veterinary clinics offer a wide selection of imported vaccines of good quality. There are not many complications from vaccinations. The probability of their development is much less than the danger of getting enteritis. An adult dog needs to be vaccinated every year as the immune response weakens.

Quite a new and relatively little-studied disease. Currently, in terms of the number of dog lives taken away annually, it successfully competes with such a formidable infectious disease as distemper in dogs.

Parvovirus infection was first identified in the United States in 1978. Over the next two years, it rapidly spread to other countries, and in 1980 it was registered in Russia. Since the animals had no natural immunity against the disease, a large number of dogs fell ill and died. Among sick and dead dogs, 90% were young animals aged from two to ten months.

Later it was found that parvovirus infection (canine enteritis) affects only representatives of the canine genus and does not affect animals of other species, despite the similarity of symptoms observed in similar diseases in these animals (feline panleukopenia, infectious enteritis of rabbits, pigs, etc.) a person who comes into contact with a dog with enteritis also becomes infected.

Enteritis in dogs- a very unusual and insidious infectious disease that can occur in different forms with different clinical symptoms. This greatly complicates its diagnosis in the early stages of the disease and, consequently, the fight against it, since the disease is transient and the results of treatment primarily depend on the timeliness of veterinary care.

It is very important for amateur dog breeders to pay attention in time to some features in the behavior of animals that are harbingers of this disease, to correctly assess the situation and, without wasting precious time, provide qualified assistance to the dog.

First of all, you need to have an idea of how the direct infection of the dog occurs. The main source of infection is sick animals that excrete the virus into the external environment with feces, vomit and saliva. Moreover, the virus begins to stand out already in the incubation (latent) period of the disease, before the appearance of its first symptoms.

Recently ill animals can also be carriers of this virus for a certain time. A person who has been in contact with can also become a factor in the transmission of infection, carrying the virus on clothes, shoes, care items (comb, brush, etc.). There are cases of outbreaks of the disease after various public events: exhibitions, brood of young animals, competitions.

Symptoms of enteritis in dogs

From the moment of infection until the appearance of the first clinical symptoms of enteritis, the dog is in the incubation period, which can last up to ten days. Given that enteritis in dogs, as a rule, occurs suddenly and is acute, personal observations of the owner, who notes various changes in the behavior of the dog, are important for timely diagnosis.

If you notice any lethargy in your dog, take his temperature immediately. Normal temperature in dogs ranges from 37.5 to 39 degrees. A temperature above 39 degrees should be regarded as the presence of a painful process. To measure the body temperature of a dog, it is necessary to lubricate the end of the thermometer with petroleum jelly (or sunflower oil, baby cream) and gently insert it into the dog's anus with a rotational movement to a depth of 2-3 cm. The measurement time is 5 minutes.

It is desirable to carry out such measurements every 8 hours, be sure to record the data, so that later the veterinarian can choose the right treatment strategy.

It should be noted that elevated body temperature in a dog with parvovirus enteritis is not always established, often it remains normal until the death of the animal.

Let us also pay attention to one more point that indicates the onset of the disease and usually goes unnoticed. Look at the dog: the appetite is normal, on the street it is quite mobile, but when stroked on the back and sides, it draws in the stomach and arches the back somewhat, and when pressed in the stomach area, it reacts painfully. Such soreness of the stomach should be regarded as the first symptom of parvovirus enteritis. Often at this moment the dog abruptly refuses milk, although he used to drink it willingly.

Usually, a day after the onset of these symptoms, enteritis begins, at first with the remnants of undigested food, followed by viscous, gray discharge. After a while, diarrhea appears. At first, watery, yellowish in color, covered with greenish streaks of the intestinal mucosa, later turns into a bloody, with a disgusting putrid odor. .

Due to severe pain in the stomach, the animals cannot lie down and stand with their heads buried in a corner or any objects. From severe dehydration, pain and heart failure, young dogs can die 1-3 days after the first signs of the disease appear.

Enteritis in dogs can take another form. The owner notes the dog's lethargy, drowsiness. Body temperature rises to 39.5 degrees and above. With this form, there is no pronounced soreness of the stomach, but a strong rumbling is heard in the stomach, especially in the first days of the disease. As a rule, the dog refuses food or eats it reluctantly, but drinks water. For 2-3 days, vomiting appears, after which the animal's condition worsens. On the 4-5th day, the dog dies with signs of heart failure (barely noticeable or rapid breathing, pallor of the mucous membranes, weak, elusive pulse, cold extremities, lack of response to nicknames and commands). Characteristic of this form of the disease is the absence of diarrhea. Bloody diarrhea may appear immediately before the death of the animal, or several hours before it.

At the first suspicious symptoms, the dog must be immediately shown to a veterinarian who will diagnose, prescribe a course of treatment and observe the sick animal in the next 5-7 days. In this regard, it is very important to describe to the doctor all changes in the behavior of a sick dog as accurately and in full as possible.

Enteritis in dogs, treatment

First aid for a sick dog in the treatment of enteritis which the owner can provide is as follows.

First of all, it is necessary to provide the dog with complete rest, completely removed, drinking and feeding, without a medical indication, an enema should not be used.
It is possible to recommend the use of vaseline (worse than sunflower) oil, which, without being absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract, envelops its walls and helps to evacuate toxic contents.

In case of enteritis, the owner must have the following medicines in the home veterinary first aid kit:

3-4 syringes (from 5 to 20 ml), several replaceable needles for them;
No-shpu, analgin for pain relief. Note that all drugs must be administered to animals by injection, since the tablets during this period are not absorbed by the dog's body;
Saline solution, if there is severe dehydration of the body (vomiting, diarrhea);
Sulfocamphocaine, cordiamine to maintain cardiac activity.

Let us draw the attention of amateur dog breeders that these drugs should be used in combination with the main treatment developed by the veterinarian individually for each animal.

Consequences of enteritis in dogs

In dogs that have been ill with parvovirus enteritis, disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract can be observed for a long time. Therefore, the correct organization of feeding the animal plays an important role. It is better to give food in small portions several times a day. The menu of a recovering dog includes pieces of lean boiled meat (beef, veal), boiled vegetables, well-boiled rice in a weak meat broth.

It is advisable to refrain from fermented milk products in the first week of recovery. Any sausages, spices, sweets, fatty meat and fish, bones are excluded.

After 2-3 weeks after recovery (depending on how the dog feels), you can return to the old feeding diet.

Dogs that have recovered from parvovirus enteritis develop long-term, almost lifelong immunity. The main method of preventing this disease is. Vaccination of puppies begins from 7-8 weeks of their life.

One of the dangerous ailments, the timely treatment of which is not always possible, is parvovirus enteritis in dogs. Vaccination is the only way to protect your pet from this disease. However, over time, the viruses that cause the disease mutate, which is why the owner must know the symptoms of the disease, which will help to detect the disease in a timely manner and begin treatment as soon as possible. In our article, we will tell you what are the symptoms of enteritis in dogs, the causes of the disease, and how to treat it at home.

The enteritis virus is quite tenacious, it is able to withstand up to +60 degrees, while not changing its condition in any way. In addition to high temperature, it is not affected by chlorine, ether, acidic environment. Any animal can be ill with parvovirus, but more often signs of the disease occur in a young pet, from 2 to 15 months. Most of all, the concentration of the virus is observed in the first 10 days after infection in the feces of the dog, it is also present in the saliva and urine of the pet. Viral enteritis in dogs occurs due to contact with:

A sick animal, an insect that is a carrier of the disease.
Through water or food contaminated with infection.
Due to contact with infected care items, bedding.

Most often, enteritis in a dog occurs due to:

Often enteritis in puppies is seasonal, the peak of the disease occurs in autumn and spring, in winter and summer there is a decrease in activity.

Symptoms of parvovirus enteritis

Enteritis disease in dogs, the symptoms show unexpectedly. If the first signs are not noticed, then the treatment of the disease will be delayed, which sometimes leads to death. When ingested, parvovirus infects the gastrointestinal tract and heart tissue, so this course of the disease is dangerous for puppies during the period of active growth. Typically, parvovirus infection in dogs presents as follows:

Lethargy, slight malaise, fatigue. Thus, the onset of the disease manifests itself, usually the owners do not notice these symptoms.
The dog is constantly sleeping, does not react to strangers.
A day later, the course of the disease worsens, the pet's temperature rises up to 41 degrees.
The puppy vomits with mucous or yellowish foam.
Diarrhea with green, brown, or black mucus, which is foul-smelling.
A complete refusal to eat and drink leads to dehydration, the pet already resembles a skeleton covered with skin.
The dog has shortness of breath, pale mucous membranes.
Wool whipped into tatters and icicles, devoid of any sheen.
If after 3 days the temperature returned to normal or fell below 37 degrees, then the course of the disease took on threatening forms and reduces the chances of recovery.
Enteritis in a dog can provoke a heart cough, bluish mucous membranes, and heavy breathing. All this leads to an increase not only in cardiac, but also in pulmonary insufficiency and in the development of myocarditis.
If the disease affects both the heart and intestines, then the following symptoms appear: slightly elevated temperature, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea with the presence of blood.

Symptoms of coronavirus enteritis

Coronavirus is not as severe as canine parvovirus enteritis, it has a milder course of the disease, it is less contagious and less likely to be fatal. Coronavirus enteritis occurs through contact with feces, and if an infected dog licked the grass, or the pet walked on it, then he can get this disease. Very often this type of disease affects puppies, in adults it is milder.

Vaccination does not give a 100% guarantee, but the treatment is faster. Sometimes the owner, especially adult dogs, does not notice that the pet is sick. In puppies born to mothers who have not been vaccinated against enteritis, symptoms develop within 2 days after the virus enters the body. Coronavirus gives the following symptoms:

Apathy, refusal to play.
Aimless walking around the house, lethargy, fatigue.
Lack of appetite.
Yellowish diarrhea, not offensive.
Pale mucous membranes, devoid of blue.
Severe symptoms in the form of constant vomiting, palpitations, dehydration appear when a secondary infection is attached.

Coronavirus gives similar symptoms to parvovirus, only they are milder and do not exhaust the pet as much. Coronavirus enteritis rarely leads to death, only 10%.

Treatment

Enteritis in a dog can only be treated under the supervision of a veterinarian, having previously passed tests to detect the virus. Coronavirus can be treated with the same drugs as parvovirus. Treatment of enteritis at home is:

Complete rest of the animal, it does not need to be fed, but it is necessary to provide fresh water in constant access.
You can make an enema with vaseline oil, it helps to remove infections from the body and is not absorbed into the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. You can not use sunflower oil, because it can worsen the condition of the pet.
Analgin, No-shpa can relieve pain.
Saline solution will help with dehydration.
Sulfocamphocaine will help support the dog's cardiac activity.
Astringents and antiemetics will help prevent dehydration.
Antibiotics help fight a secondary infection.
After improvement occurs, the pet can begin to feed beef broth. If he is so weak that he cannot eat on his own, then you can feed him with a syringe, carefully introducing the broth into the animal's mouth. It is better to give food in small portions several times a day, because the work of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted. In addition to the broth, boiled vegetables, boiled rice can be included in the diet.
If the treatment lasts 1 week, then you need to refrain from fermented milk products. Also, smoked meats, spicy and fatty meat, any fish and bones, as well as sweets are excluded for a long time. When the treatment lasts more than 3 weeks, it will be possible to gradually return to the previous diet.

All drugs must be administered only by injection, since the tablets in this disease are not absorbed in full.

When caring for a dog, you need to remember about hygiene measures, of course, the coronavirus of dogs is not transmitted to humans, but in addition to it, other pathogenic bacteria may also be contained in vomit and feces. Timely vaccination will help protect the animal from this serious disease, but it does not give a full guarantee, because even a pet who has been ill can get sick with this disease again.

You have a puppy at home. Of course, this is a joyful event, but you must remember that it is also a huge responsibility. First of all, you must monitor the health of your pet and try to protect him from the most serious diseases, in particular from parvovirus enteritis. Today we will tell you in detail about this disease, which until recently meant almost a death sentence. Now the situation has changed, modern vaccines are a fairly reliable protection against this formidable disease, and veterinary drugs can cure it at almost any stage.

The most important thing is to prevent the animal from becoming severely dehydrated, otherwise the chances of recovery will drop sharply. So the sooner you deliver your pet to the clinic, the easier it will be to treat parvovirus enteritis.

What is it

Indeed, it is better to start from the very beginning. So let's start with the definition of parvovirus enteritis. This is an acute viral disease that causes inflammation and necrosis of the intestinal mucosa, as well as damage to the heart muscle. Most often, young individuals aged from 2 months to two years are susceptible to this disease. In this case, a person cannot get sick. Outbreaks of this virus are most common in spring and autumn.

Causes and development of the disease

Even without being a veterinarian, you can easily distinguish the signs of parvovirus enteritis. In the vast majority of cases, the disease affects a dog under the age of 6 months. The causative agent is a virus. When it enters the body, it begins to actively multiply in the epithelial cells of the intestine. This leads to their mass death. The immunity of the animal is completely blocked, and necrosis products begin to be absorbed into the blood. In response to this, the body tries to defend itself and turns on the mechanism of blood clotting. This leads to microthrombi and disturbed blood circulation in vital organs. These are the kidneys and liver, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. After the coagulation mechanisms are exhausted, bleeding of the intestinal mucosa is observed.

But all this is not the worst. Parvovirus enteritis in puppies occurs with a complete rejection of water. Usually already on the 2nd-3rd day signs of hypovolemic shock develop, acute renal failure develops. In turn, damage to the heart muscle very quickly leads to pulmonary edema and heart failure. So, in a matter of days, the disease destroys all organs and systems and kills the animal.

Sources of the disease

Treatment of parvovirus enteritis will be effective only when we know exactly where to expect trouble and how to avoid it as efficiently as possible. So, sick dogs serve as a source of infection. These are virus carriers that release a huge amount of the virus into the external environment. These are feces, urine and saliva. Rodents, insects, and even people who do not get sick themselves are still carriers. Infection can occur through infected feed and water, through contact with a sick animal (sniffing and licking it, or objects infected by it). Infection through bedding or care items is possible, it should be especially taken into account that the pathogen is very tenacious and persists in the external environment for a long time. It is resistant to heat and exposure to ether and chlorine, alcohol and soda. Therefore, taking puppies to a veterinary clinic for vaccination is not the best option. Usually there they disinfect the tables with alcohol, and this does not have any effect on the pathogen. As you can see, there are a lot of dangers around, and you need to learn how to anticipate them all in order to prevent this formidable disease.

Prevention or risk zone

Any disease is much easier to prevent than to treat, but this is especially true for such a formidable disease as parvovirus enteritis. Prevention, first of all, is aimed at increasing the resistance of the pet's body itself, that is, resistance to bacteria and viruses. If this natural barrier is strong, then there is no need to be afraid. In order to increase resistance, you need to take good care of your pet. Good living conditions and quality feeding, timely prevention of helminthic invasions, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and avoidance of stressful situations are half the battle in protecting your pet from enteritis. Why half, because the second falls on preventive vaccinations. In today's world, it's unwise to dismiss scientific advances in the form of reliable vaccines and rely on chance. Be sure to complete all scheduled vaccinations that you will be prescribed.

Signs to look out for right away

Today we are talking about parvovirus Symptoms, treatment and prevention - this is the information that owners need in order to respond in time to disturbing changes. First of all, remember that the disease develops rapidly. From the very first symptom to the death of the animal, it can take only 3-4 days. The maximum that an animal can last without treatment is 7 days. Vomiting appears first. It is impossible to stop it, forcibly forcing the pet to drink or eat, you will only make it worse. It is necessary to remove intoxication by intravenous infusion of special solutions.

Sometimes, already at the first stage, diarrhea of \u200b\u200bgray-yellow color appears. The puppy completely refuses water and food. In this case, the condition worsens very quickly. Even if the first symptoms appear in the evening, you should try to take the animal to the veterinarian. Until the morning, excruciating vomiting can bring the condition to a critical one. As a last resort, call the nearest veterinary station and tell them what's going on. Every doctor knows how serious the disease is parvovirus enteritis in dogs. Symptoms, treatment today - having collected all this information, the doctor will be able to guide you in how to help your four-legged friend.

The situation is getting worse

So, if treatment has not been started, or is unsuccessful, vomiting will continue. The stools become offensive. Very often blood appears in the feces, sometimes worms come out. Thick saliva accumulates in the mouth, the animal does not have the strength to swallow it. Eyeballs sink, murmurs are heard in the heart, and wheezing in the lungs. At the same time, severe tachycardia is a very bad symptom, which means that the cardiovascular system is affected too much, and the prognosis is disappointing. If the body temperature was initially elevated, now it drops to 35 degrees and below. The abdomen is usually tense and painful. Shortness of breath develops. Mucous membranes lose their luster, become gray or reddish. Even with correct, intensive, but late-started therapy, mortality is very high, so it is extremely important to organize treatment as soon as possible.

Clinical signs

The worst thing is when parvovirus enteritis develops in puppies. How to treat a young and fragile body when a virus destroys the heart and liver, kidneys and immune system. It is enough to delay the start by just a few hours, and even if the dog recovers, the dog will remain a regular client of the veterinarian for life, as a huge number of chronic diseases will grow out of this. The incubation period is only 4-10 days, while the dog begins to shed the virus into the external environment already on the third day, when symptoms may be completely absent. These discharges pass on the 15-20th day, subject to survival. This ailment manifests itself in three forms, each of which can proceed at lightning speed or acutely. If in the second case it is quite possible to save the pet, then in the first case you may not even have time to see a doctor.

Intestinal form of the disease

It is the manifestations of this form that parvovirus enteritis is most famous for. Prevention is to keep the dog's intestines in perfect condition, then the immunity will be strong, and it is much more difficult for the virus to break through its defenses. First of all, it is high-quality, rational nutrition and timely antihelminthic therapy. At the same time, the acute form proceeds with virtually no signs of enteritis, the puppy shows a breakdown and dies after a few hours. Mortality is very high, it is about 60%.

In this case, anorexia is observed, a complete refusal of food. Very strong, mucous vomiting develops. 6 hours after it starts, the dog develops diarrhea. In this case, the feces are first gray, and then acquire green or purple hues. Very often they contain streaks of blood, sometimes they are slimy or watery, almost always with a fetid odor. Body temperature at this stage is most often elevated. At the same time, vomiting and diarrhea very quickly deplete forces, after which a state of shock occurs. This is the most common case of parvovirus enteritis in dogs. Symptoms can be only a day ahead of death if you fail to stop fluid loss.

Treatment of the intestinal form of enteritis

First of all, it is necessary to provide the animal with complete rest, because strength will be required to overcome parvovirus enteritis. How to treat, it is necessary to coordinate with the veterinarian. Eating and drinking is completely canceled until the doctor allows it, forced infusion will only aggravate the situation. It is highly recommended to use vaseline oil, which envelops the walls of the stomach and intestines and interferes with the absorption of necrosis products.

In order to provide first aid, your first aid kit should have "Levomycetin succinate". It is an antibiotic that is aimed at treating diarrhea. You will also need "No-shpa" and "Analgin" to relieve pain symptoms. In addition, "No-shpa" relieves spasms, which means that vomiting decreases. "Analgin" together with "Dimedrol" (two ampoules are drawn into one syringe and injected intramuscularly) perfectly brings down the temperature. In severe and prolonged course of the disease, it is necessary to have saline and glucose at home, which can be administered at least subcutaneously, in order to avoid dehydration.

Cardiac form of enteritis

It occurs much less frequently, most often as a secondary complication. After suffering enteritis, after some time, acute myocardial damage is observed. That is, we can diagnose heart failure with a weak pulse and. Most often, animals die suddenly due to disorders in the heart muscle of the nervous patency. Mortality is very high, reaching 80%. It is very important to include Sulfocamphocaine, Cordiamin, or other drugs in the treatment regimen to maintain cardiac activity. Finally, there is a mixed form, when various lesions of the cardiovascular and digestive, respiratory systems of the body are observed. This is typical for weakened animals with a weakened immune system. In this case, the clinical picture can be blurred, and the symptoms are very diverse.

dog treatment

The sooner you see a doctor, the more likely you are to beat parvovirus enteritis. Symptoms will rapidly increase, so put aside everything and rather see a specialist. It should be noted that the treatment of this disease is becoming increasingly difficult. The virus mutates and adapts, and doctors invent new schemes. The treatment is symptomatic, so the veterinarian will offer his own scheme for each patient. Most often, it includes sulfonamides, antibiotics, heart drugs, as well as saline and glucose. However, the fact that the number of drugs produced specifically for animals is growing does not make it easier to defeat parvovirus enteritis in puppies. How to treat this or that animal, sometimes you have to decide along the way, observing the reaction of the body.

The classical treatment regimen necessarily includes polyvalent serum, that is, globulins against enteritis. In fact, the blood serum of an animal that has been vaccinated with a special vaccine, in response to which the body has developed antibodies. It is they who help the sick animal to overcome the disease. In addition to globulins, saline and antibiotics ("Ampicillin" and "Oxycillin") are necessarily used. It is equally important to block vomiting; for this, Cerucal is used. Each doctor must prescribe "Diphenhydramine", an antihistamine drug, which is an excellent antispasmodic and pain reliever. Additionally, "Sulfokamphokain" is used to stimulate cardiac activity and vitamins.

Parvovirus enteritis in cats

The clinical symptoms are very similar to those we have already listed. These are vomiting and diarrhea, depression, fever and fever. However, high mortality is only in the case of a hyperacute course of the disease, which is not so common. The acute course of the disease is characterized by anorexia, damage to the intestinal mucosa and the rapid growth of bacteria. The probability of death is from 25 to 90%. Subacute and subclinical forms are much more common, but cats recover even without outside intervention. There is no specific treatment, the doctor can prescribe only supportive therapy.

From dog to human or vice versa

In fact, you should not be afraid of this disease. Parvovirus enteritis does not occur in humans, and therefore, take care of your sick pet quite calmly. But you yourself can become a source of danger for your pet. The virus can come home with your clothes and shoes, toys, various things from the veterinary clinic. Keep in mind that a variety of animals are brought there, and just by going for vitamins or anthelmintic drugs, you can bring dangerous pathogens to domra. Their durability is truly incredible. Neither cold nor boiling water takes them, chlorine and alcohol are powerless. It remains in the ground and biological waste for several years.

The fact that parvovirus enteritis in dogs is transmitted to humans is a fairy tale, but treatment must be taken extremely seriously. If your pet did not survive, do not rush to replace it with another. The causative agents of the virus can survive in the most secluded corners of the booth or bedding, on hedges that young animals like to bite, and just on the ground. Therefore, if you live in a private house, it will not work to disinfect everything. Therefore, it is necessary to wait two or three years, and then buy a new dog, always from a vaccinated female.

The dog needs regular walks outside. And during this, the dog marks the territory, contacts with other animals. It happens that he picks up something from the ground and eats it. And this threatens the appearance of a number of diseases. From banal indigestion to more serious diseases. In addition to rabies and distemper, one of the most terrible ailments at the moment is enteritis. About what is enteritis in dogs: symptoms and treatment, as well as prevention - all this will be disclosed in the article.

Enteritis in dogs is defined as inflammation of the small intestine. The disease is caused by viruses, bacteria and a number of other causes. Enteritis is considered a relatively new disease. However, extremely dangerous. In terms of the number of deaths, enteritis is on the same level as distemper.

The first case of enteritis in Russia was recorded in 1980. At that time, animals did not yet have natural, developed immunity. Therefore, most of them died. For puppies and young dogs, enteritis is especially dangerous today.
Even if you manage to save the animal, the consequences can be very serious.

Why is enteritis dangerous?

Of course, you need to know how to treat enteritis in dogs, but it is much better to prevent its occurrence, because the consequences of the disease can lead to serious complications.

Consider why enteritis is so dangerous, and how to avoid worsening the condition.

Possible consequences and complications are listed below:

Complications appear as a result of poor care and improper therapy. For example, some owners treat enteritis in dogs at home, independently select drugs and dosages. This is absolutely impossible to do. Therapy should be selected by a qualified, experienced doctor.

Why does enteritis occur?

Any illness does not arise from scratch. Special conditions are necessary for its development. Consider what conditions are needed for enteritis.

The factors contributing to the appearance of this disease include the following:

What are the symptoms of enteritis?

Before considering the symptoms of enteritis in dogs, it should be noted that this disease can be of different types. Primary and secondary enteritis occurs. Primary is characterized only by a problem with the intestines. Secondary is a sign of another disease. Depending on the pathogen, parvovirus, coronovirus and bacterial types are distinguished. The clinical picture of each of the varieties has certain features.

parvovirus

This type of enteritis makes itself felt quickly. Symptoms develop almost immediately after infection. A puppy can die just a few days after the virus enters the body. Therefore, it is so important to start treatment in a timely manner.

A feature of parvovirus is that a hot dog in this case will not. Fever is not observed. Body temperature is within normal limits. The pet sometimes remains active and eats well. However, signs of poisoning may appear.

The clinical picture is as follows:

Coronavirus

The clinical picture of coronovirus enteritis is similar to parvovirus. However, the symptoms are slightly milder. So the dog has a swollen stomach and vomiting, diarrhea. However, there are no blood impurities in the secretions. True, it all depends on the form in which the disease proceeds in mild or acute.

Signs of an acute course appear 2-5 days after infection. As for the mild form, the symptoms are almost invisible. A sick dog lies all the time, lethargic. The temperature rises to 39 degrees. Feces are characterized by an unpleasant odor. The consistency is slimy and watery.
They have a green tint. But it happens that the pet behaves as usual. If the immunity of the animal is strong, in order to overcome the disease, you only need a properly selected diet and compliance with the drinking regimen.

However, if convulsions are observed and, one should not hope that everything will pass by itself. It is better to contact a good veterinarian. The account is per day. And even one day can cost a pet life.

If enteritis is suspected, experts advise sending feces to the laboratory for analysis. This will help determine the type of pathogen. So, to understand how to treat a dog, what drugs to use. Often enteritis is mistaken for an intestinal disorder, helminthic invasion. Therefore, it is important to find a qualified specialist. You should contact reliable and proven veterinary clinics.

What is the treatment for enteritis?

It should be noted that the treatment of enteritis in dogs will differ depending on the type of disease. So, for an infectious disease, one scheme is selected, and for a non-infectious disease, another. Some owners try to treat the animal at home using folk methods. It is important to remember here that it is impossible to overcome viral enteritis without the use of specific serum with immunoglobulins.

Antibiotics are those drugs for dogs that prevent the development of bacteria. They help reduce the risk of complications. Therefore, qualified veterinarians prescribe them in any case.

Most veterinarians today use Synulox 500mg for dogs, which is a new generation of antibacterials. Usually give it for a week, twice a day. The dosage is selected by the doctor individually: depending on the condition and weight of the animal. Usually, there are 12.5 milligrams of the drug per kilogram of dog weight.

Tablets are great for home treatment.

But in the conditions of a veterinary clinic, Sinulox injections for dogs are used: they are considered more effective. The dosage is 1 milliliter per 20 kilograms of weight. The injection is done once a day.