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Veterinary Manual

Find information on animal health topics, written for the veterinary professional.

Canine Herpesvirus

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Canine Herpesvirus

By Otto M. Radostits, CM, DVM, MSc, DACVIM (Deceased), Professor Emeritus, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan ; David A. Ashford, DVM, MPH, DSc, Assistant Area Director, International Services, APHIS, USDA ; Craig E. Greene, DVM, MS, Professor, Department of Small Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia ; Eugene D. Janzen, DVM, MVS, Professor, Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary ; Bert E. Stromberg, PhD, Professor, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota ; Max J. Appel, DMV, PhD, Professor Emeritus ; Stephen C. Barr, BVSc, MVS, PhD, DACVIM, Professor of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University ; J. P. Dubey, MVSc, PhD, Microbiologist, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, USDA ; Paul Ettestad, DVM, MS, State Public Health Veterinarian, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health ; Kenneth R. Harkin, DVM, DACVIM, Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University ; Delores E. Hill, PhD, Parasitologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture ; Johnny D. Hoskins, DVM, PhD, Small Animal Consultant ; Jodie Low Choy, BVSc, BVMS, IVAS Cert, Menzies School of Health Research; University Avenue Veterinary Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia ; Barton W. Rohrbach, VMD, MPH, DACVPM, Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Tennessee ; J. Glenn Songer, PhD, Professor, Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, University of Arizona ; Joseph Taboada, DVM, DACVIM, Professor and Associate Dean, Office of Student and Academic Affairs, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University ; Charles O. Thoen, DVM, PhD, Professor, Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University ; John F. Timoney, MVB, PhD, Dsc, MRCVS, Keeneland Chair of Infectious Diseases, Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky ; Ian Tizard, BVMS, PhD, DACVM, University Distinguished Professor of Immunology; Director, Richard M. Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M; University

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Canine herpesviral infection is a severe, often fatal, disease of puppies. (It is sometimes referred to as fading or sudden death syndrome in puppies.) In adult dogs, it may be associated with upper respiratory infection or an inflammation of the vagina marked by pain and a pus-filled discharge (in females) or inflammation of the foreskin of the penis (in males).

The disease is caused by a canine her-pesvirus that occurs worldwide. Transmission usually occurs by contact between susceptible puppies and the infected oral, nasal, or vaginal secretions of their dam or oral or nasal secretions of dogs allowed to come in contact with puppies during the first 3 weeks of life. Transmission may also occur prior to birth.

Death due to the infection usually occurs in puppies 1 to 3 weeks old, occasionally in puppies up to 1 month old, and rarely in puppies as old as 6 months. Typically, the onset of illness is sudden, and death occurs after an illness of less than 24 hours. Infections in the womb may be associated with abortions, stillbirths, and infertility.

No vaccine is available. Infected female dogs develop antibodies, and litters born after the first infected litter receive antibodies from the mother in the colostrum. Puppies that receive these maternal antibodies may be infected with the virus, but show no signs of disease. The outlook for puppies that survive early infection with canine herpesvirus is guarded because the disease can cause irreparable damage to the lymph nodes, brain, kidneys, and liver.

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Foodborne pathogens have similar nutritional and environmental requirements that affect their ability to multiply. Food handlers can control these aspects to limit pathogen growth. For example, pathogens grow best when the temperature is 40°F and 140°F. In general, perishable foods should not be kept in this danger zone for more than how many hours?