PARVOVIRAL ENTERITIS FAQ

 David Twedt DVM, DACVIM
Gastroenterology & Digestive Diseases

QUESTION

What is your current mainstay for treating dogs with parvoviral enteritis? What is your treatment success rate?

ANSWER

The treatment for parvo first includes fluid therapy correcting dehydration and continued losses. I use a balanced electrolyte solution and supplement with potassium and 5% glucose. Antibiotics are given parenterally. It is suspected there is considerable translocation of GI bacteria; septicemia and bacteremia are likely and play a major role in mortality. Antibiotics for enteric bacteria are used. Recently I reviewed a number of veterinary schools as to type of antibiotics they used, and their choice was quite variable including amoxicillin, cephalosporins (first or second generation), or combination of ampicillin and enrofloxacin.

Watch for septicemia in monitoring cases (fever, hyperemia, hypoglycemia). If this occurs we give shock fluids and dexamethasone, and we maintain glucose levels. The vomiting is controlled by giving nothing orally (NPO) while still vomiting. Antiemetics are also given, although frequently nothing seems to control the severe cases. We use antiemetics such as chlorpromazine (make sure volume is first expanded), metoclopramide, or in the more severe cases, the expensive odansetron. The remainder of the therapy is supportive such as acid blockers, sucralfate, plasma for hypoproteinemia. We also give our severe cases 5-10 ml of hyperimmune serum (collected from parvo recovery dogs two weeks out from their disease). With clinical improvement we begin glucose electrolyte solutions followed by bland diets. Some recommend partial parenteral nutrition in selected cases, and one report suggested nasal gastric tube “trickle feeding” during the disease, even if vomiting or diarrhea continue, and believe this improved recovery.

We find aggressive intensive therapy and correcting complications the success rate is good (90 percent). Problems occur in Rottweilers, Dobermans and very young dogs.