Page 108 - JRT Magazine - 2023 Issue 2
P. 108
Science
Canine
Herpes
VIRUS AS A GENITAL
INFECTION IN THE DOG
Catharina Linde Forsberg, DVM, PhD, DipECAR, Sweden
Contrary to common belief among dog breeders, in individuals, which for some reason have a
an increasing number of studies on reproductive compromised immune system or suffer from an
problems and puppy deaths in dogs clearly unrelated disease. The circumstance that these
indicate that comparatively few are, in fact, opportunistic bacteria are found both in dogs
caused by genital infections. The most often with reproductive problems and in those with a
implicated genital infectious agents in the dog normal reproduction means that the decision on
are Brucella canis, Canine Herpesvirus, and the when it is meaningful to take a bacterial sample
commensal bacteria beta-hemolytic streptococci, from the genitalia and how to interpret the result
Escherichia coli, various Pasteurella species is crucial. Much is to say about this, and especially
and staphylococci. The commensal bacteria are the risks and complications involved in treating
so called opportunistic pathogens, meaning healthy dogs with antibiotics. In this article,
that in healthy individuals, they constitute the however, I will focus on the Canine Herpes virus.
normal microbiome, but they may cause disease
108 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Jack Russell Terrier / Russell Terrier • Issue 2/2023
