Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Treatment with pig antibodies improves survival in puppies
By Liu, P C et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2016·Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Application of xenogeneic anti-canine distemper virus antibodies in treatment of canine distemper puppies.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 41 puppies, all under six months old and suffering from severe respiratory problems due to canine distemper, were treated to see if a special antibody therapy could help. Half of the puppies received a combination of porcine antibodies and regular supportive care, while the other half only got supportive care. The puppies that received the antibody treatment had a much higher survival rate—76% compared to just 31% in the other group. This treatment showed promise with minimal side effects, mainly just a slight fever in some puppies.
People also search for: puppy distemper treatment · canine distemper symptoms · puppy respiratory problems · canine distemper survival rate
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The clinical feasibility of passive immunotherapy has not been demonstrated in dogs naturally infected with canine distemper. In this study, porcine anti-canine distemper virus IgG and F(ab')antibody fragments were used to treat infected puppies. METHODS: A total of 41 naturally infected puppies (age Äsix months) exhibiting severe respiratory signs, but lacking neurological signs, were enrolled in the study. Twenty-five puppies were treated with a combination of IgG or F(ab')antibody fragments (Group 1) and supportive therapy and 16 puppies received routine supportive care only (Group 2). RESULTS: The survival rate of dogs in Group 1 (19/25; 76%) was significantly higher than that in Group 2 (5/16; 31·3%) (P<0·05). During the therapy, 8 of the 25 dogs (32%) in Group 1 developed neurological signs versus 12 of the 16 dogs (75%) in Group 2 (P<0·05). Adverse reactions were limited to elevated body temperature in dogs that received IgG antibodies. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Porcine anti-canine distemper virus antibodies improved survival in puppies affected with canine distemper with minimal adverse effects. Therefore, this therapy could be considered for treatment of endangered animal species infected with canine distemper virus.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27726133/