What are the symptoms of canine coronavirus and how to treat it?

Although coronavirus is the mildest of the three infectious diseases in dogs, its severity is still not to be underestimated. Furthermore, there are vaccines available for distemper and certain preventive and treatment vaccines, but there is no corresponding vaccine to prevent coronavirus. Moreover, the mortality rate of coronavirus in young dogs is still high, so it is necessary to take corresponding preventive measures in daily life. Don't be too negligent. It's too late to regret when your dog gets sick.

The incubation period for canine coronavirus is 1 to 8 days. The disease spreads quickly and can spread throughout an entire group within a few days. At first, it is not different from a common cold. Later symptoms include lethargy, vomiting. Then, the stool becomes pasty or semi-pasty, turning into a watery substance, orange or green, containing mucus or blood, with or without fever. The disease can also cause leukopenia, rapid dehydration, and death. The mortality rate is also related to the age of the dog, with higher mortality rates in young dogs than in adult dogs. Some cases show no clinical symptoms. Canine coronavirus often mixes with parvovirus to form a widespread canine diarrhea epidemic.

To test if a dog has coronavirus or to use a test strip, the disease may not be detectable during the incubation period, but if the symptoms are similar, it is recommended to inject serum for prevention.

In fact, coronavirus can infect dogs of different ages and has high infectivity. It spreads quickly among dogs but is more common in puppies under six weeks of age. Therefore, during the infectious season, be careful when taking your dog outside, especially small dogs, even if they have immunity, should not be complacent. If an abnormality is found, consult a veterinarian or take the dog to an animal clinic. If the dog does not receive timely treatment, the best treatment period may be delayed, and the dog may eventually die.

Currently, there is no specific treatment for coronavirus. symptomatic treatment can be routinely used, such as anti-emetic drugs, diarrhea, fluid replacement, and antibiotic prophylaxis for secondary infection treatment. If the dog refuses to eat and vomits, fluid replacement is the most appropriate treatment. The treatment duration depends on the dog's recovery status. Some dogs may show slight improvements after 2-3 days of fluid replacement, while others may not improve until a week later.

During treatment, note that if you feed your dog and it starts to vomit, it is best to fasting and stop watering it. If you continue to feed it, it will exacerbate its vomiting and delay treatment time. You can moisten the dog's tongue and nose with a cotton swab soaked in a little water.

Make sure to keep your dog warm at home. You can prepare a thick mat. Do not let the dog lie directly on the ground to avoid catching a cold. It is better to cover it with a blanket (especially in summer), to keep it warm. It is essential. If your dog is receiving fluids, place a warm towel on the bag to speed up drug absorption, or use a hair dryer facing it for a while to also accelerate drug absorption.