Canine parvovirus in a commercial kennel: epidemiologic and pathologic findings.

A study was conducted at a large canine commercial kennel that had suffered serious losses due to epidemic diarrheal disease following the introduction of canine parvovirus (CPV) into the kennel population. Mortality was highest in weaned (9- to 12-week-old) puppies coincident with the decline in maternal antibody titers. Virus was present in fecal samples from both fatal and non-fatal cases. Intestinal lesions of varying severity were present in dogs that died. One case of myocarditis occurred in a 5-week-old puppy. Reproductive performance was unaffected by the introduction of canine parvovirus into the kennel population.