The Canine Coronavirus
Canine Coronavirus is a contagious intestinal viral infection which can be fatal in puppies and adult dogs who have poor nutrition and low immunity system. This virus is present worldwide and can target any dog breed of any gender and any age, this is why we say that before your dog goes travelling abroad with your proper medical records must be present and different vaccines should be taken in order to avoid your dog getting any type of diseases that might be present in the other country. Canine Coronavirus was discovered in 1971 when there was an outbreak of this viral infection in the guard dogs of Germany.
Canine Coronavirus lives and breeds in the villi present in the small intestine and makes cells present in the small intestine weakens which makes them an easy target for Canine Parvovirus. Coronavirus can be transmitted from one dog to another very easily through oral contact or by sniffing other infected dog’s feces or urine. If you have a dog who loves hanging out with another neighbor’s dog, and if you have heard the other dog is having some issues then you need to take a time out and keep your dog away from it. Remember a neighborhood full of dogs have diseases transmitted very easily and in cases the viral and bacterial infections may be present in the air droplets and a dog can get it by just inhaling the air.
If a dog has Canine Coronavirus then it may shed the virus in its stool for several months, if you see a dog’s feces in your way when walking your dog then just change your direction. It doesn’t matter if you’re the other dog is infected or not, you should never allow your dog to sniff another dog’s dirty business. This is the reason why many states have enforced the use of poop bag to pick up your dog’s poop and throw it in the bin to avoid the germs to spread and to have clear and clean walkways and paths.
Canine Coronavirus has very mild symptoms and sometimes dogs don’t even show them. However the symptoms of Coronavirus can be that your dog will become lazy, there will be a loss of appetite, your dog will become dehydrated and will have acute diarrhea. A dog living in the neighborhood where almost every household has a dog, that community may have more cases of Canine Coronavirus and they will spread very rapidly among the dogs. Your dog will have depression, will start vomiting and it will also have loose motions with foul smells and yellow orange color. In some cases there might be traces of blood however unlike Canine Parvovirus there won't be any signs of high body temperature.
Canine Coronavirus is a very mild case and is not serious; it will only get serious if it is going to the stage of Parvovirus. However if you see any such symptoms your vet’s attention is required who can diagnose it though different blood tests and antibody titer serum test which can only diagnose the presence of Coronavirus in the canine.
Treatment for Canine Coronavirus
If your dog is tested positive for Canine Coronavirus then a few medication courses will help in curing this disease. Special fluids and vitamins will be given to your dog in order to overcome with the dehydration and weakness. You also have to give your full support, attention and love to your dog so that it can recover even more quickly. There are Coronavirus vaccines available and you can get your dog have a shot if you have heard that there is an outbreak of the virus in your community, however Coronavirus is not fatal and it can respond pretty well to medications and can be easily cured.