Canine Herpes Virus (CHV-1) Vaccine
For most dogs CHV is not thought to cause any significant problem and so for a long time is has largely been ignored by both breeders and vets. However, it is now clear that CHV can be a significant cause of death in young puppies, and also smaller litter size and weight.
If you are a breeder, the most likely thing you will see subsequent to a CHV-1 problem is a drop in fertility in your breeding bitches. If you are the owner of a single female, the most likely thing to happen is a tie with no puppies at whelping time.
But if your bitch experiences a rise in virus numbers near the end of her pregnancy without a sufficient rise in her antibody level, you will loose all or some of the puppies during their first three weeks of life. This can be your bitches first experience with the CHV-1 virus, or a relapse due to the stress of pregnancy and other factors - usually the latter.
CHV attacks the placenta of the mother, starving the foetus of nutrients. This can lead to abortion, stillbirth or re-absorption of the foetus (seen by the breeder as infertility). If the puppy is infected before birth and survives, it may be underweight at birth and have a weakened immune system, making it vulnerable to early puppyhood infections. If the puppy is infected soon after birth, CHV is known to be one of the factors in "fading puppy syndrome", in which the pup fails to suckle, loses weight and fades away despite intensive care.
The adult dog
in the dog, CHV can cause painful lesions on the genitals. In the bitch, there may not be any external signs, but the bitch seems infertile or gives birth to undersize and weak litters. In both males and females, CHV is also known to be a cause of kennel cough.
Most likely, your dog was exposed to the herpes virus at a kennel, groomer, dog show or animal shelter - any place where large numbers of dogs gather at one time. It did not catch the virus from just passing through these areas - it sniffed or inhaled secretions from another infected dog.
Although it is possible that your dog contracted the virus while being bred, or artificially inseminated, that is not the way most cases occur.
If you are a breeder, the most likely thing you will see subsequent to a CHV-1 problem is a drop in fertility in your breeding bitches. If you are the owner of a single female, the most likely thing to happen is a tie with no puppies at whelping time.
But if your bitch experiences a rise in virus numbers near the end of her pregnancy without a sufficient rise in her antibody level, you will loose all or some of the puppies during their first three weeks of life. This can be your bitches first experience with the CHV-1 virus, or a relapse due to the stress of pregnancy and other factors - usually the latter.
CHV attacks the placenta of the mother, starving the foetus of nutrients. This can lead to abortion, stillbirth or re-absorption of the foetus (seen by the breeder as infertility). If the puppy is infected before birth and survives, it may be underweight at birth and have a weakened immune system, making it vulnerable to early puppyhood infections. If the puppy is infected soon after birth, CHV is known to be one of the factors in "fading puppy syndrome", in which the pup fails to suckle, loses weight and fades away despite intensive care.
The adult dog
in the dog, CHV can cause painful lesions on the genitals. In the bitch, there may not be any external signs, but the bitch seems infertile or gives birth to undersize and weak litters. In both males and females, CHV is also known to be a cause of kennel cough.
Most likely, your dog was exposed to the herpes virus at a kennel, groomer, dog show or animal shelter - any place where large numbers of dogs gather at one time. It did not catch the virus from just passing through these areas - it sniffed or inhaled secretions from another infected dog.
Although it is possible that your dog contracted the virus while being bred, or artificially inseminated, that is not the way most cases occur.
