Canine Herpesvirus Infection: Vet Guide 2025 🐶🩺🦠

Greetings caring dog parents! I’m Dr Duncan Houston BVSc 🩺. Canine herpesvirus (CHV‑1) is a widespread alpha‑herpesvirus with devastating effects on young puppies yet mild or subclinical impacts in adults. This 2025 guide covers transmission, age‑related disease presentations, diagnostic methods, supportive treatment, prevention measures, prognosis, and home care—complete with clarity and compassion ❤️.

🔍 What Is Canine Herpesvirus?

CHV‑1 (Canid alphaherpesvirus 1) belongs to the Alphaherpesvirinae family. It's common worldwide, infects dogs, wolves, coyotes, and causes fatal hemorrhagic disease in young puppies :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. Adults often carry the virus latently and can shed during stress or illness :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.

👶 Age-Dependent Disease Patterns

Puppies <3 Weeks Old

• High fatality—up to 100% in naïve pups; onset sudden, death within 1–2 days :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
• Signs: crying, failure to thrive, hypothermia, nasal/ocular discharge, diarrhea, petechiae, pneumonia :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
• Necropsy findings: necrotizing interstitial pneumonia, hemorrhage in organs :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

Puppies 3–6 Weeks

• Lower mortality; surviving pups may suffer neurologic, renal, hepatic damage :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

Adult Dogs

• Typically subclinical or mild signs: rhinitis, pharyngitis, mild cough, conjunctivitis, genital lesions :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
• Adults become lifelong carriers capable of reactivated shedding :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• In pregnant females: may cause infertility, abortion, stillbirth :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.

🧪 Transmission & Risk Factors

• Direct contact with bodily fluids—saliva, nasal/ocular/genital secretions; puppies via oronasal contact :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• Fomites can contribute, though less significant :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
• Low ambient temperature in puppies encourages systemic disease due to poor viral eradication :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.
• Kennels, birthing environments, and high-density dog populations are common hotspots :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.

🔬 Diagnosing CHV

• PCR testing on tissues or swabs confirms infection in live or deceased pups :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.
• Serology: paired titers detect rising antibody levels :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}.
• Necropsy/histopathology: post-mortem confirms characteristic lesions :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}.

🏥 Treatment & Management

Puppies

• Sadly, prognosis is grave; supportive care (warming, fluids, nutrition) may occasionally help early cases :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}.
• Antiviral drugs (acyclovir) and hyperimmune serum sometimes used — efficacy limited :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}.

Adults & Pregnant Females

• Supportive care only; disease usually self-limiting :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}.
• Topical antivirals (idoxuridine, trifluridine) and antibiotics for secondary ocular infections :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}.
• Monitor pregnancies—abortion/stillbirth prevention via isolation, heat, hygiene :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}.

🛡️ Prevention Strategies

• Isolate pregnant bitches from other dogs 3 weeks before and after whelping :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}.
• Maintain warm whelping environments (~35ºC); heat suppresses CHV replication :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}.
• Good hygiene and sanitation in kennels and litters dramatically reduce disease :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}.
• Adult seropositive dams pass maternal antibodies to pups, improving survival :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}.
• No vaccine is available in North America; European vaccines show mixed results :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28}.

📈 Prognosis

• Puppy mortality remains high despite intervention; survivors often have long-term organ or neurological damage :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}.
• Adult dogs recover fully and live normal lives but remain lifelong carriers :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}.
• Pregnancies in seropositive females yield healthier litters; seronegative dams are at high risk :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31}.

🏡 Home Care Tips

• Keep puppies warm with heating pads or incubators; monitor continuously.
• Use the **Ask A Vet app** 📱 to track litter health: temperature, feeding, crying, temperature, medication.
• Enforce strict hygiene—wash hands, bedding, bowls daily.
• Isolate infected adults to prevent shedding to puppies or pregnant dogs.
• Seek veterinary help immediately if puppies show weakness, breathing issues, diarrhea, or temperature loss.

📝 Key Takeaways

• CHV‑1 is globally common, deadly in young puppies, mild in adults.
• Rapid onset, high mortality in pups; supportive care offers limited hope.
• Adult dogs are carriers but typically recover uneventfully.
• Prevention via isolation, warmth, hygiene, and maternal immunity is crucial.
• No vaccine in North America—management focuses on environmental control.

📞 When to Contact Ask A Vet

If your puppies are weak, hypothermic, crying continuously, or failing to nurse—or if an adult dog shows unusual eye, respiratory, or reproductive signs—message the **Ask A Vet app** 💬 now for urgent veterinary guidance!

✨ Final Thoughts

Canine herpesvirus is tragic for young pups but manageable with knowledge, hygiene, and early intervention. With warmth, maternal antibodies, clean environments, and the Ask A Vet toolkit, you empower every litter to have the best start. You're not alone—every care step counts ❤️🐾.