Despite widespread vaccination against canine parvovirus (CPV) the disease is still regularly reported from veterinary practices across the UK. The original parvovirus strain first identified in 1978 (CPV2) seems to be extinct and since the 1980's three new strains of clinically important canine parvovirus designated CPV2a, CPV2b and CPV2c have emerged (Decaro 2007).

This study was conducted to determine which strains of canine parvovirus are currently associated with clinical disease and positive SNAP tests (Canine parvovirus antigen test kits--IDEXX) in the UK.

One hundred six faecal samples from dogs with clinical signs of canine parvovirus, of which 87 had shown a positive SNAP Parvo test and the others had not had a SNAP test performed. The samples were analysed using real-time PCR with minor groove binder (MGB) probes to identify specific CPV strains. 103 of these samples tested positive for canine parvovirus, of which 34 dogs (33%) had CPV2a strain, and 69 dogs (67%) had CPV2b strain present. No CPV2c strain was detected in any of the samples. One hundred three samples were found to be negative for CPV2, but only one of those had a positive SNAP test (described as a weak positive) prior to submission of the faecal sample.

Canine parvovirus disease was confirmed in dogs living in all geographical areas of the UK. Crossbreeds made up the largest group (n=29, 27.6%) and some breeds were over-represented in the study but this probably reflected their relative numbers in the pedigree dog population. The age range was 4 weeks to 11 years with 45 (43.7%) of cases occurring in puppies aged 12 weeks or younger. Perhaps surprisingly, 18 cases (17.5%) were in dogs over 1 year of age. 62 (60%) of CPV positive dogs had not been vaccinated, or their vaccination status was unknown.