Canine minute virus is a virus that infects dogs and can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, especially in young puppies. This infectious disease is caused by a virus belonging to the family Parvoviridae. This family is home to some of the smallest known viruses in the world, and these viruses are also known to be extremely environmental resistant and capable of surviving for long periods of time. They can affect both vertebrates and insects. The parvovirus were discovered and scientifically described during the 1960s.  Scientists investigating the protein structure and DNA of the Canine minute virus have found it to be very similar to the bovine parvovirus which infects cattle. Another fairly close relative is the human bocavirus which causes respiratory problems in humans.  When the first Canine minute virus was discovered in 1967, it lived in military dogs in Germany. Initially, the scientists didn’t believe that the virus actually caused disease in the dogs.

Canine minute virus transmission

Adult dogs and puppies are infected orally. If a pregnant dog is infected, the virus will spread through the placenta and infect the foetuses. Experiments have shown that if the dam (pregnant dog) is infected at 25-30 days of gestation, the virus can cause a miscarriage. If the dam instead infected at 30-35 days of gestation, miscarriage is less common and the puppies can instead be born with birth defects, such as anasarca and myocarditis. The Canine minute virus can also cause lesions in the lungs and small intestine in foetuses. 

Canine minute virus symptoms

Puppies aged 1-3 weeks normally develop the most severe Canine minute virus symptoms, which are difficulty breathing, loss of appetite and severe diarrhoea. In severe cases, the puppy will die.

Virus infections in dogs: (click for more info)
Canine coronavirus in dogs
Canine distemper in dogs
Canine herpesvirus in dogs
Canine influenza in dogs
Canine minute virus in dogs
Canine parvovirus in dogs
Infectious canine hepatitis in dogs
Kennel cough in dogs
Pseudorabies in dogs
Rabies in dogs