PARVO

Parvo is a highly contagious viral disease that can be potentially fatal, especially in unvaccinated puppies.
The responsible virus is classified as Canine Parvovirus Type 2 (CPV 2), to distinguish it from another Parvovirus (CPV 1) found in dog faeces, without pathological significance. It is a very resistant virus in the environment (it can also withstand up to 1 year) and to the action of detergents and disinfectants.
The virus is excreted in the faeces and multiplies in the digestive tract and bone marrow. Penetrated into the body orally, after an incubation period of 3-8 days, the virus initially replicates in the oropharyngeal lymphatic tissues, from which it spreads haematogenously to all tissues. Subsequently, the virus localizes to the lymphohematous tissues of the bone marrow and to the lymphoid tissues of the jejunum and ileum, where it causes respectively neutropenia, lymphopenia, destruction of the intestinal villi with necrosis of the epithelium and hemorrhagic diarrhea. As a result of immunosuppression, infected animals have frequent secondary bacterial infections (from Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and clostridia) which aggravate the pathogenetic picture. From the 3rd day post-infection the animal becomes a virus eliminator.
Infection can occur by direct contact with the faeces of infected dogs or indirectly through exposure to the environment or to contaminated objects, such as litter boxes or bowls.
Parvoviral infection can affect dogs of any age, although most cases occur in young puppies between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 months. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated animals have a considerably higher risk of developing parvo.
Some breeds are described as predisposed to canine parvovirus infection, such as Dobermann Pinscher, Rottweiler, English Springer Spaniel, German Shepherd, American Pit Bull Terrier and Dachshund. These breeds, once infected, also tend to develop more severe symptoms.
Toy Poodles and Cocker Spaniels appear to have a reduced risk of canine parvovirus infection. Puppies whose mothers have been regularly vaccinated are also affected less frequently and less severely by parvo. This is because vaccination from the mother increases the levels of maternal antibodies circulating in young puppies. The spread of canine parvo is worldwide. The first episodes of canine parvovirus sustained by CPV were observed in 1978 in America, the disease spread rapidly throughout the world, affecting wild canids and domestic dogs, soon becoming an endemic disease.

GIARDIA

Giardiasis is caused by Giardia, a unicellular parasite belonging to the flagellated protozoa (Giardia intestinalis, or duodenalis or lamblia), it can affect dogs, cats, other animals and even humans indifferently, causing a disease also known as giardiasis (in human part of the traveller’s diarrhea complex).
Normally the transmission of Giardia occurs via the fecal-oral route through the ingestion of contaminated food, water or soil. The life cycle is direct and does not require intermediate hosts.
Giardia in faeces occurs in two forms: the mobile, flagellate, or the form it takes in the intestine; the cystic form, most common to see in stool tests. In the cystic form, giardia is able to survive for several months in the environment, especially where there is a lot of water and humidity. Once the cysts enter the body orally, the cysts mature in the intestine and become trophozoites. Here they reproduce and can begin to produce cysts that are released with the feces.
The spread of Giardia is about 10% in dogs kept in the family, from 36 to 50% in puppies and up to 100% in kennels.
The prevalence in cats ranges from 1.4 to 11%.