New treatment helping save puppies’ lives across the U.S.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Metzger Animal Hospital is celebrating a good outcome after a new treatment for canine parvovirus (CPV) has helped several animals at the facility.

Canine parvovirus is a contagious virus mainly affecting dogs and wolves. CPV is highly contagious and spreads from dog to dog by direct or indirect contact with their feces. It emerged in 1978 resulting in the death of millions of dogs worldwide. This disease affects dogs that are younger than 1.

“It’s a disease that affects most rapidly dividing cells in the body. So that would be the gastrointestinal tract, the bone marrow, and the heart. So it causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, electrolyte disturbances, attacks immune system,” Fred Metzger a Veterinarian at Metzger’s said.

Veterinarians across the country now have access to the canine parvovirus monoclonal antibody that was founded in 2023. Metzgers has used the new treatment in approximately 20 cases and in all 20 the dogs have survived. Previously they would try and help the dog as long as they could.

“We would just try to keep them alive. IV fluids, antibiotics, and you’re just hoping they survive, whereas this new treatment is directed right at the virus to shut it down,” Metzger said. “I’ll tell you, since we started using this product, we haven’t lost one puppy to that disease. So I’m hoping that’s what’s going to happen to other puppies around the world.”

One problem veterinarians see is the number of cases due to the price of treatment. Many are hesitant as dogs spend several days in the animal hospital due to the disease.

“There’s a big difference between the number of potential parvo cases that we could see and the ones we see. Some people will call on the phone but never make it in because of cost or other barriers. The estimated cost of treatment can have a pretty profound impact on the number of parvo cases we see in the clinic,” Metzger said.

But even with the new treatment, Dr. Metzger was asked how this treatment differs from how the disease is typically treated.

“We still need to treat these dogs like we always have, making sure we have the right diagnosis and that we’re doing hematology, serum chemistry profiles, electrolyte panels, and testing for GI parasites and concurrent diseases. That’s my only worry about this product. You still need to look for concurrent diseases and complications like hypokalemia and hypoglycemia. We still have to do the diagnostics to test for all those other diseases and not get tunnel vision. An accurate diagnosis is so important because there are other conditions with similar presentations,” Metzger said.

One example of the treatment working is with Maverick and Fawn, two puppies that were diagnosed with parvovirus. When Maverick got sick his owners believed it was due to eating old grease that was dumped but when taken to the animal hospital the dog tested positive for it. They also had another young puppy Fawn who tested negative twice before getting sick and testing positive.

“He was sick, he was up throwing up all night and he had started to get diarrhea,” owner Tristan Conner said.

The two were among the first to receive the new treatment in the entire world and after a few days in the animal hospital, they were released and are now healthy and full of energy. But during the time it was moments full of anxiety and worry.

“It was shocking., what all they told me that they might not make it. So it was scary,” Conner said.

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Dr. Metzger says that so far no side effects have been found from the treatment. He says cases are active in the Centre County region and owners should not worry as now many dogs can be saved.

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