Introduction
Canine herpesvirus (CHV) infection is a contagious, systemic and usually fatal disease that is particularly lethal to very young puppies but can affect dogs of any age.
Symptoms of CHV in Young Puppies
Puppies become infected with CHV transplacentally or during the whelping process. Abortion of the entire litter is frequently associated with CHV infection in pregnant females. If puppies are born alive, they will begin showing clinical signs within the first few days of life. They develop difficulty breathing (dyspnea), mucopurulent nasal and ocular discharge, grayish yellow or green, odorless and unformed stool and anorexia. They lose interest in nursing and have agonizing, persistent crying. They may develop abdominal tenderness, rashes and nosebleeds as well. Sadly, most puppies deteriorate rapidly and die within 12 – 36 hours of the acute onset of their clinical signs. In virtually all cases the whole litter will be affected and lost. It is possible, but highly unusual, for one or more puppies in an infected litter to survive.
Symptoms of CHV in Adult Dogs
Adult dogs, both male and female, that are infected by CHV usually show mild to severe signs of acute to chronic respiratory distress. Female dogs can develop vaginitis and vaginal discharge, and sometimes papulovesicular lesions appear around the vaginal area. Spontaneous abortions are common. Males infected by this virus may also have abnormal discharge and sores on their external genitalia. Mature animals can have subclinical infection localized to the respiratory tract or to their external genitalia as well.
There is no cure for CHV, but some treatments are available. If you notice any of these signs particularly in a newborn litter, contact your veterinarian immediately. Unfortunately, many cases of CHV infection in neonates are not treated because of the rapid progression and poor prognosis for the disease.