Treating Puppies with Parvo virus Infection; A Study

Start of the parvo virus season is just around the corner. It extends through fall, winter and spring and is most prevalent in low desert areas such as the Imperial Valley. Affected puppies vomit, and suffer from diarrhea. If neglected, pups can become very dehydrated and death is a common outcome. Some owners treat sick puppies themselves using over-the-counter remedies too often with disastrous results.  Years ago I learned that the drugs used to treat sick puppies were critical. Sometimes when one of the penicillin drugs was used for treatment the puppy would develop a severe Clostridium difficile diarrhea, a very undesirable consequence.

 I did some studies to see what might or might not work. During the 2016 parvo season 61 pups that had tested positive for parvo were treated. They all got the same regimen: a liquid oral prescription for the gastro-intestinal bacteria, a small injection of a broad spectrum-antibiotic for other bacteria in their bodies and an oral antivirus medicine used in people. Puppies were sent home with instructions to return the following day for further treatment. Most of the sick puppies were treated only once, and only one of them died. Perhaps the antivirus medicine was most helpful I am not certain that it was but I continue to rely on it.

Acute Pancreatitis

This is a story about acute pancreatitis in two small dogs; one was a young male and the other an old female. They had been vomiting for several days, would not eat, their abdomens were tense and painful, and they had low-grade fevers.  The disease developed spontaneously in both dogs.  Serum lipase and amylase, two enzymes normally found in pancreatic cells, were elevated three and ten times the normal level. When pancreatic cells are injured some of the enzymes they contain leak into blood and become important for diagnosing acute pancreatitis. The pancreas is located in the abdomen alongside the small intestine and contains several enzymes that digest food when they are secreted into the intestine.  Normally, while within pancreatic cells, the enzymes are inactive.  However, enzymes can become activated inside the cells. When activated, they injure the cells by digesting them, thereby causing inflammation and the disease, pancreatitis.

            To counter the inflammation and pain from the pancreatitis both dogs were treated morning and night with minocycline, an antibiotic with cytokine-modulating anti-inflammatory properties.  Within 24 hours the dogs appeared to feel better, for they were more active and in less pain.  At 48 hours serum amylase and lipase levels had returned to normal in one dog and near normal in the other. Treatment was continued for 10 days and full recovery was uneventful.  The promptness and extent of response to treatment of pancreatitis were greater than anticipated and suggest there was modulation of inflammatory cytokine effects in the pancreas and/or suppression of intracellular enzyme activation by minocycline.

Image courtesy of Mike Barid - Flickr

A case of canine Pancreatitis

Wilbur is a 7-years-old French bull dog whose vomiting started a week ago. He cried when his abdomen was pressed and he had refused to eat for the past several days.  Also, water consumption had declined.

 He was a very sick dog when brought to the hospital.   Several abnormalities of his serum chemistry profile suggested he might have acute pancreatitis, for the blood study showed dehydration, inflammation, and stress.  He was started on intravenous fluids to rehydrate him and sustain kidney function.  An overnight blood test confirmed the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.  Next morning all food and water consumption was stopped and drugs were administered to depress stomach-acid production.   Acidic stomach contents passing into the small intestine can aggravate pancreatitis so it must be controlled.   Also, he was given a low dose of antibiotics as insurance against infection in the region of the pancreas.  Intravenous fluid therapy was altered to provide essential energy and protein building blocks to help with healing.  He was maintained on this program for two days.  Then, drugs were dispensed to prevent vomiting and continue reduced gastric acidity and he was sent home. Such treatment would permit him to eat and drink without aggravating the pancreatitis and still facilitate continued healing.