What is Canine Parvovirus?
Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious viral disease that can produce a life-threatening illness. The virus attacks rapidly dividing cells in a dog’s body, most severely affecting the intestinal tract. Parvovirus also attacks the white blood cells, and when young animals are infected, the virus can damage the heart muscle and cause lifelong cardiac problems. infection is a highly contagious viral illness that affects dogs. The majority of cases are seen in puppies that are between six weeks and six months old.

What are the symptoms of Canine Parvovirus?
The general symptoms of parvovirus are lethargy, severe vomiting, loss of appetite and bloody, foul-smelling diarrhoea that can lead to life-threatening dehydration.

How do dogs contract the infection?
Parvovirus is extremely contagious and can be transmitted by any person, animal or object that comes in contact with an infected dog’s faeces. Highly resistant, the virus can live in the environment for months, and may survive on inanimate objects such as food bowls, shoes, clothes, carpet and floors. It is common for an unvaccinated dog to contract parvovirus from the streets, especially in urban areas where there are many dogs.

What is Canine Coronavirus?
Canine coronavirus infection (CCV) is a highly contagious intestinal disease that can be found in dogs all around the world. But unlike Parvovirus, Coranavirus infections are typically mild.

What are the symptoms of Canine Coronavirus?
Infected dogs may have several days of diarrhoea that resolves without treatment. Other signs may include:

• Depression
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting

How do dogs contract the infection?
The disease is spread from dog to dog through contact with faeces.

Why do I need this Test?
CPV and CCV are the 2 biggest viral causes of diarrhoea in puppies and can have similar symptoms. But whilst CPV has a very high death rate (91%) if left untreated, CCV typically runs its course with the dog being fine afterwards. So it is important to determine which (if any) virus your dog has.

Treatment for CPV is focused on curing the symptoms and preventing secondary bacterial infections, preferably in a hospital environment. Intensive therapy and system support are the key to recovery. The overall survival rate in dogs is about 70 percent, but is less than 10% if left untreated so early diagnosis is key so that your Vet can start treatment ASAP. Infected dogs are also a contagion risk to other dogs for at least 2 months after the initial recovery so you will need to keep your dog isolated from other dogs for a period of time.

Treatment for CCV is typically limited to supportive care, such as fluid therapy, rest, and antibiotics to help prevent secondary infections. If vomiting or diarrhoea is severe, medications may be prescribed to manage these symptoms in particular.

How do I perform the Test?
It is very simple – just use the enclosed cotton swab to obtain a faecal or vomit sample, mix it with the test solution and then add 3 drops to the test cassette. You will then be able to read the results after 5 minutes. A positive or negative result is indicated by 2 or only 1 line in the test window respectively.

The best time to test is during the shedding phase and/or when the symptoms appear. If tested outside this time period, you may get a false negative result.

What should I do if I get a positive result?
You must see your Vet immediately if you test positive for CPV so that he/she can start treatment ASAP. A positive result for CCV is not as emergent in otherwise healthy dogs unless symptoms are severe, but a visit to your Vet is still recommended.

Dog Double (CPV+CCV)