Bacterial myocarditis secondary to parvovirus enteritis in a puppy

A purulent bacterial myocarditis, secondary to parvovirus enteritis was diagnosed in a 3-month-old St Bernard puppy. The clinical course was of 2 days duration and was characterized by pyrexia, severe vomition, haemorrhagic diarrhoea and dehydration. Post mortem examination revealed a haemorrhagic enteritis and multifocal purulent myocarditis. Histopathological examination proved that the latter was of bacterial origin. It is postulated that this resulted from a bacteraemia secondary to the intestinal lesions caused by parvovirus infection.