Steven Mensack, VMD, DACVECC

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a family of viruses that cause vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, and leukopenia. The virus can infect dogs of any age but, because of effective client education and early, aggressive vaccination protocols, is commonly noted in dogs less than 1 year of age.

Many patients present to general, emergency, and referral specialty veterinary facilities with conditions that require immediate surgical intervention. The success or failure of the subsequent surgical procedure starts when the patient is initially presented for treatment.

Many canine patients present to the veterinarian with vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and abdominal discomfort, with or without fever. Based on these non-specific signs of disease, the veterinarian has to build a differential diagnosis list. This list commonly includes acute gastro-enteritis (parasitic, bacterial, viral), dietary indiscretion/foreign body ingestion, toxicity, renal disease, pancreatitis, hypoadrenocorticism, and cholangiohepatitis, among others.

Nutritional supplementation is vital to the recovery process for most disease processes and after traumatic injury. However, many of these patients do not receive sufficient nutrition during the healing and recovery process.

Nutritional supplementation is vital to the healing process for most disease processes and after traumatic injury. However, many of these patients do not receive sufficient nutrition during the healing and recovery process. Over time, this lack of proteins, minerals, and energy substrates can lead to a state of general illness, malnutrition, and profound disability, a condition defined as cachexia.

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a family of viruses that cause vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, and leukopenia. The virus can infect dogs of any age but, because of effective client education and early, aggressive vaccination protocols, is commonly noted in dogs less than 1 year of age.