How severe is canine coronavirus?

Canine coronavirus usually has a course of 7-10 days, with the most severe stage being days 1-3. Canine coronavirus infection is an acute, highly contagious gastrointestinal disease caused by a coronavirus. The clinical symptoms are characterized by frequent vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and easy recurrence. Dogs diagnosed with the disease need to be isolated and treated promptly, mainly through methods such as stopping vomiting and diarrhea, intravenous fluid administration, and preventing secondary infections.

Firstly, the usual way dogs contract coronavirus is through direct or indirect contact. The disease is most severe on days 1-3 and mainly spreads through the digestive tract and respiratory tract to healthy dogs. Healthy dogs can become infected by directly contacting sick dogs or indirectly contacting their excrement, using items, or being contacted by owners who have not disinfected themselves after touching sick dogs. The disease can also be transmitted vertically through pregnancy, such as when sick mothers infect puppies through nursing or blood transmission through the umbilical cord.

Secondly, after a dog contracts coronavirus, it usually first shows signs of lethargy and vomiting for several days, followed by diarrhea, with stools resembling soup or water, orange or green in color, and containing varying amounts of mucus or blood. The white blood cell count in sick dogs decreases, and they rapidly dehydrate and die. The mortality rate of sick dogs is high, especially in dogs that have not been vaccinated or have incomplete vaccinations.

Lastly, the treatment of canine coronavirus usually follows the principles of stopping vomiting and diarrhea, anti-inflammation, and fluid replacement. Supportive therapy is administered to maintain electrolyte and fluid balance, and good care is provided to enhance the dog's resistance. Since dogs often vomit during the disease, it is usually not recommended to feed them to avoid exacerbating the vomiting. At the same time, attention should be paid to keeping the dog warm to prevent secondary infections due to catching a cold.