Breed-related risk factors for canine parvovirus enteritis

SUMMARY Case records of 305 dogs with canine parvovirus ( cpv ) enteritis, seen at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from July 1, 1981 to Aug 31, 1982, were selected on the basis of admitting diagnoses or signs of diarrhea and vomiting. The case records were subdivided into 3 diagnostic categories, based on final diagnoses and laboratory test results. There were 96 dogs with definite cpv enteritis, 139 with possible cpv enteritis, and 70 with unlikely cpv enteritis. These cases were then stratified by animal's age (≤6 months or >6 months) and specific hospital service (medicine or emergency). A control group was selected from all canine case records from the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for conditions other than the criteria used in selecting the case group. Approximately 2 hospital patients were selected for each cpv enteritis case by frequency matching for hospital service and age. The proportion of dogs with definite cpv enteritis that had each of the clinical signs that were studied was greater than that of dogs in the other cpv enteritis diagnostic categories. The overall survival rate for dogs with definite cpv enteritis was 64.0%; survival was not associated with any given clinical sign of disease. Odds ratios ( or ) for the risk of cpv enteritis were calculated for breeds with 3 or more dogs with definite cpv enteritis. The Doberman Pinschers ( or = 3.1), Rottweilers ( or = 6.0), and English Springer Spaniels ( or = 8.1) had a significantly increased risk of cpv enteritis. When age- and sex-specific or were calculated, the immature (≤6 months) male Doberman Pinschers ( or = 3.5) and Rottweilers ( or = 7.7) and the mature female English Springer Spaniels ( or = 42.2) had significantly increased risks of cpv enteritis. In a second analysis, breed-specific or were determined by comparing dogs with definite cpv enteritis to dogs with unlikely cpv enteritis. The Doberman Pinschers ( or = 17.3), Rottweilers ( or = 2.4), and English Springer Spaniels ( or = 7.5) were at an increased risk of cpv enteritis, but the or was statistically significant only for the Doberman Pinschers. Doberman Pinschers were not more likely to develop leukopenia, and they did not have excess mortality when compared with all other purebred dogs. Analysis of data from the nationwide Veterinary Medical Data Program indicated that Doberman Pinschers ( or = 2.2) and Rottweilers ( or = 5.6) had significantly increased risks of cpv enteritis. The consistency of results, using 2 separate internal control groups and 2 distinct data sources, identifies the existence of real differences in breed susceptibility to cpv enteritis.