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Canine Corona Virus (CCV) is a virus which attacks the intestinal track of puppies and adult dogs causing severe watery diarrhea.
The virus belongs to the family Coronaviridae which are large, positive-stranded RNA viruses responsible for highly dominant diseases in humans and domestic animals. There are three groups of Corona viruses. Canine Corona virus belongs to Group 1.
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that have a halo or crown-like (corona) appearance when viewed under a microscope. Courtesy CDC
The virus is highly contagious and is spread by infected dogs feces and unsanitary conditions and causes enteritis. The incubation period is from 1 to 5 days.
Corona virus would be easily mistaken for parvovirus a highly contagious potentially fatal virus. If a puppy has both corona virus and parvovirus simultaneously there is an 89% chance that the puppy would not survive.
A dog infected with Corona virus becomes weary, shows lack of appetite, and has unexplained diarrhea which has a high unpleasant odor which may or may not contain blood or mucus. If your dog shows any of the above symptoms, your dog should be taken immediately to your veterinarian for examination.
As Corona virus is a virus, there are no drugs that are effective, however antibiotics may be given if secondary bacterial infections manifest themselves within the affected dog.
Canine Corona virus vaccines are part of a veterinarian vaccination program and all canine owners should make sure that their canines are vaccinated.
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