The prognostic value of electrocardiography for canine parvo virus infection in German shepherd puppies

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is the most common cause of puppies mortality in first 6 months. However, no established specific prediction study was done within special breed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic usefulness of epidemiological, hemato-biochemical and electrocardiogram (ECG) findings in German shepherd puppies with canine parvovirus (CPV). Twenty-two puppies (11 male, 11 female) were used in the study. All puppies were underwent a complete physical examination, Commercial canine parvo kit, laboratory variables (CBC, ALT, creatnine, Na, K, Ca, CPK-mb, cTn-l) and ECG then treated according to treatment protocol with following up every day till recovery or death. Mortality rate among these puppies was twenty-seven percent. Non-survivors were younger and had significantly lower platelet counts, serum potassium concentrations and T- wave length than those puppies who survive at presentation (p<0.05). Serum cTn-l were positive in only seventeen percent of non-survival dogs while there was only six percent of the survival dogs showed positive cTn-l. This study suggested that age, platelet count, serum potassium, and T-wave length are useful for predicting the final outcome of hospitalized German shepherd puppies with CPV.