TREATMENT OF SEVERE CANINE DIARRHEA

The files of 62 dogs with acute hemorrhagic diarrhea were analyzed. On the basis of this material the clinical signs, hematological and chem ical changes are discussed. All dogs were dehydrated at the beginning of therapy. 68 per cent showed leukopenia, 40 per cent metabolic acido sis, 27 per cent hypokalemia, and 3 per cent hypoglycemia. The descrip tion of therapy is the main point of this paper. The volume of infusio n, infusion rate, choice of infusion fluids, and energy supply are des cribed. In addition appropriate antibiotics and other symptomatic trea tments are discussed. To clarify etiology and pathogenesis the necrops y reports of 149 dogs with hemorrhagic diarrhea were analyzed. 78 per cent of these animals suffered from parvovirus infection, 7 per cent f rom distemper, and 7 per cent from parvovirus infection and distemper. 8 per cent of these dogs had no primary virus infection. The Rottweil er is predisposed for parvovirus infection. In 53 per cent out of 149 necropsied dogs a septicemia was demonstrated although all dogs had re ceived antibiotic treatment. The septicemia was in all but one dog due to gram-negative bacteria, mostly E. coli. In addition to the bacteri al septicemia 2 dogs had a yeast septicemia. Nematodes were demonstrat ed in 8, specific enteropathogenic bacteria (Salmonellae, Clostridium perfringens) in 5, and an intestinal invagination in 2 out of 149 dogs . The dogs which died from parvovirus infection and distemper were 4 a nd 5.5 months of age, respectively. In addition to these young dogs, 6 dogs older than 1 year of age died from parvovirus infection (2 - 10 years of age).