Canine parvovirus (CPV) enteritis is characterized by intestinal hemorrhage with severe bloody diarrhea. The causative agent, CPV‐2, was first identified in the late 1970s. CPV is a nonenveloped, linear, single‐stranded DNA virus with a genome of approximately 5 kb, and it belongs to the genus Parvovirus, together with feline panleukopenia virus, mink enteritis virus, raccoon parvovirus, and porcine parvovirus. An antigenic variant, CPV‐2a, identified within a few years after the emergence of CPV‐2, and another variant, CPV‐2b, began appearing in the canine population in 1984. In 2000, a novel antigenic variant, CPV‐2c, was first detected in Italy. This chapter focuses on the history, viral evolution, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, vaccination, and prevention of CPV‐2.
Part of the book: Canine Medicine