Canine Coronavirus: Symptoms and Treatment

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 27 January 2021
Update Date: 4 November 2024
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CANINE CORONAVIRUS 🐶 Can It Be Treated?
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When someone makes the important decision to adopt a dog and take it home, you are accepting the responsibility of covering all your needs, physical, psychological and social, something that the person will no doubt do with pleasure, because the emotional bond that is created between a pet and its guardian is very special and strong.

dogs need periodic health checks, as well as following the recommended vaccination program. However, even complying with all this, it is quite possible that the dog will get sick, so it is very important to be aware of all those signs that warn of a possible pathology.

In this article by PeritoAnimal we are going to talk about Canine Coronavirus Symptoms and Treatment, an infectious disease that, although progressing favorably, also needs veterinary attention as soon as possible.


What is canine coronavirus?

Canine coronavirus is a viral pathogen that causes an infectious disease in puppies regardless of their age, breed or other factors, although it is true that puppies are more susceptible to this infection. belongs to the family Coronaviridae, Themost frequent species that infects dogs is the Aplhacoronavirus 1 which is part of the genre Alphacoronavirus.

It is an acute course disease. To better understand this concept, it is possible to compare it with the cold that humans usually suffer, because like the coronavirus, it is a viral disease, with no cure, that is, with a acute course and without the possibility of chronicity.

Symptoms of the disease begin to manifest themselves after the incubation period, which usually lasts between 24 and 36 hours. It is a disease as contagious as it is prevalent, although if treated in time, it usually does not present any further complications or sequelae.


Does 2019-nCoV affect dogs?

The coronavirus that affects dogs is different from the feline coronavirus and also different from the 2019-nCoV. Since this new discovered lineage is being studied, it is not possible to affirm or deny that it affects dogs. Indeed, experts suspect it is likely to affect any mammal, as they believe it arose from certain wild animals.

Canine Coronavirus Symptoms

If your puppy has contracted this disease it is possible to observe the following in him. canine coronavirus symptoms:

  • Loss of appetite;
  • Temperature above 40°C;
  • Tremors;
  • Lethargy;
  • Vomiting;
  • Dehydration;
  • Abdominal pain;
  • Sudden, smelly diarrhea with blood and mucus.

Fever is the most representative symptom of the canine coronavirus, as is fluid loss through vomiting or diarrhea. As you can see, all the clinical signs described could coincide with other pathologies, so it is important to seek professional help as soon as possible so that the diagnosis can be made.


In addition, your pet may be infected and not show all the symptoms exposed, so it is important consult your veterinarian even if you have seen only one of the signs., since the success of the coronavirus treatment depends, to a great extent, on the speed with which the disease is detected.

How is canine coronavirus spread?

The canine coronavirus is excreted through the faeces, so the contagion pathway through which this viral load passes from one dog to another is through fecal-oral contact, being all those dogs that present a behavior alteration called coprophagia, which consists of ingesting feces, an important risk group.

Once the coronavirus has entered the body and the incubation period has been completed, attacks the intestinal microvilli (cells that are essential for the absorption of nutrients) and cause them to lose their functionality, which causes sudden diarrhea and inflammation of the digestive system.

Canine Coronavirus infects humans?

The coronavirus that only affects dogs, the Aplhacoronavirus 1, does not infect humans. As we've already mentioned, this is a virus that can only be transmitted between dogs. So if you also ask yourself whether canine coronavirus infects cats, the answer is no.

However, if a dog were affected by coronavirus type 2019-nCoV it could pass to humans, as it is a zoonotic disease. However, as we mentioned earlier, it is still being studied whether dogs can become infected or not.

How to cure canine coronavirus?

Treatment for canine coronavirus is palliative as there is no specific cure. It is necessary to wait until the disease has completed its natural course, so treatment is based on relieving symptoms and preventing possible complications.

It is possible to use methods of symptomatic treatment, alone or in combination, depending on each specific case:

  • Fluids: in the case of severe dehydration, they are used to replenish the animal's body fluids;
  • Appetite stimulants: allow the dog to continue feeding, thus avoiding a state of hunger;
  • Antivirals: act by decreasing the viral load;
  • Antibiotics: intended to control secondary infections that may have appeared by the action of the virus.
  • Prokinetics: prokinetics are those drugs that aim to improve the processes of the digestive tract, we can include in this group gastric mucosa protectors, antidiarrheals and antiemetics, designed to prevent vomiting.

The veterinarian is the only person capable of recommending a pharmacological treatment for your pet and it must be used following its specific instructions.

Canine Coronavirus Vaccine

There is a preventive vaccine made with the modified live virus that allows the animal to be given sufficient immunity to protect it against the disease. However, just because a dog is vaccinated against canine coronavirus does not mean that the dog is fully immune. I mean, the dog can be infected but, most likely, the clinical symptoms will be milder and the recovery process shorter.

Is there a cure for canine coronavirus?

Because there is no exact treatment for canine coronavirus, it does not mean that the animal cannot be cured. In fact, the death rate of coronaviruses is very low and often affects immunosuppressed, elderly, or puppies. In conclusion, coronavirus in dogs is curable.

Caring for a dog with coronavirus

Taking into account the treatment against canine coronavirus stipulated by the veterinarian, it is important to take some measures in order to prevent the virus from infecting other dogs and you provide an adequate recovery of the sick dog. Some of the measures are:

  • Keep the sick dog isolated. It is important to establish a quarantine period until the animal completely clears the virus to avoid further contagion. In addition, since the virus is transmitted through feces, it is essential to collect them correctly and, if possible, disinfect the region where the dog has defecated.
  • Offer foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics. Both prebiotics and probiotics help to re-establish the dog's intestinal flora and strengthen the immune system, so it is important to offer them during this type of recovery process, since there is no direct cure, the dog needs to strengthen its system immune.
  • Maintain a proper diet. A correct diet can also help to strengthen the immune system of a dog with coronavirus, as well as prevent possible malnutrition. It is also very important to check if your dog is drinking water.
  • Avoid stress. Stressful situations can harm the dog's clinical condition, so when you are treating a dog with coronavirus you must take into account that the animal needs to remain calm and as calm as possible.

How long does canine coronavirus last?

The duration of the canine coronavirus in the dog's body is variable because the recovery time will totally depend on each case., the animal's immune system, the presence of other infections or, on the contrary, it improves without any difficulty. During this process it is essential to keep the dog isolated from other dogs to prevent the spread of the virus. Although you'll notice the animal's improvement, it's best to avoid such contact until you're completely sure the virus is gone.

Canine Coronavirus Prevention

Now that you know that canine coronavirus has a symptomatic treatment, the best way is to try to prevent the spread. For this, some simple but completely essential care is needed to maintain your pet's health status, such as:

  • Follow the defined vaccination program;
  • Maintain conditions of hygiene on your puppies' accessories, such as toys or blankets;
  • Providing adequate nutrition and sufficient exercise will help keep the dog's immune system in peak condition;
  • Avoid contact with sick dogs. This point is more difficult to avoid as it is not possible to tell whether a dog is infected or not.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Canine Coronavirus: Symptoms and Treatment, we recommend that you enter our Infectious Diseases section.