A University of Sydney study has found that canine parvovirus (CPV), a highly contagious and deadly disease that tragically kills puppies, is more prevalent than previously thought with 20,000 cases found in Australia each year, nearly half of which result in death.
Published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, the national survey of 534 veterinary clinics investigated the number of cases of CPV, their geographic distribution, and financial impacts on pet owners.
The survey—the first to examine the impact of CPV in Australia since 1982—revealed that CPV remains a major cause of disease in puppies and dogs across Australia, particularly in rural and remote areas of the country, despite improvements in vaccination technology over the last 40 years.
CPV in dogs causes the destruction of the intestinal lining and villous atrophy, resulting in severe gastroenteritis, haemorrhagic diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration.
“CPV can kill puppies, so is an especially tragic disease, and most people are unaware that this is a big issue nationally,” said lead researcher Dr Mark Kelman, a veterinarian and PhD candidate at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science.
“The estimated number of cases of CPV across Australia was 20,661 in 2015 and 20,110 in 2016, and the overall reported euthanasia rate was 41 per cent.”
The survey identified large numbers of CPV in rural, remote, and lower socioeconomic areas of Australia. Where cases occurred in capital city areas, they were more commonly seen in outskirt areas, away from the inner city.
The Northern Territory had the highest rate of CPV, twice as high as NSW, highlighting the severity of the disease in this area. The only areas with relatively lower rates were the ACT and Victoria.
“A range of risk factors might contribute to these differences across the country and requires further research,” Dr Kelman said.
“We suggest that socioeconomic factors and other issues in these regions may result in poor vaccination rates. If these rates could improve, this might stop these outbreaks and disease cases from occurring.”