Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

80 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
CANINE CORONAVIRUS
Canine coronavirus is a contagious intestinal infection that usually produces
a mild disease. However, it can be severe in young puppies and dogs who are
stressed by concurrent infections. The distribution is worldwide, and dogs of
all ages are affected.
Coronavirus is transmitted by contact with infected oral and fecal secretions.
Following infection, the virus is shed in the stool for many months.
Symptoms vary from none (the most common form) to outbreaks of acute
diarrhea, typically occurring in a community of dogs. Dehydration can occur
if the diarrhea is severe.
The early signs of illness are depression with loss of appetite, followed by
vomiting and the passage of a foul-smelling, yellow to orange diarrhea that
varies from soft to watery. The diarrhea may contain blood. Unlike parvovirus,
fever is not common.
There is no readily available test to diagnose coronavirus during the acute
illness. A rise in antibody titer in serum tested at the time of illness and two to
six weeks later can provide a retrospective diagnosis.
Treatment: Treatment is supportive, and includes maintaining hydration
and controlling vomiting and diarrhea, as described for the treatment of parvovirus
(page 78). Antibiotics are not prescribed because of the mild nature of
most infections.
Prevention: A vaccine is available to control coronavirus. However,
because coronavirus is rarely fatal and tends to respond well to treatment,
vaccination is not recommended.
Fungal Diseases
Fungi are a large family that includes mushrooms. They live in soil and
organic material. Many types of fungi spread via airborne spores. Fungus
spores, which resist heat and can live for long periods without water, gain
entrance to the body through the respiratory tract or a break in the skin.
Fungal diseases can be divided into two categories. There are fungi that
affect only the skin or mucous membranes, such as ringworm and thrush. In
the other category, the fungus is widespread and involves the liver, lungs,
brain, and other organs, in which case the disease is systemic.
Systemic fungal diseases are not common in dogs. They tend to occur in
chronically ill or poorly nourished animals. Prolonged treatment with steroids
and/or antibiotics may also change the dog’s pattern of resistance and allow a
fungal infection to develop. Suspect a fungus when an unexplained infection
fails to respond to a course of antibiotics.
Good hygiene is important when handling and caring for a dog with any
fungal infection. The risk to humans is low, but these are difficult diseases to
treat.