Sudden death in young dogs with myocarditis caused by parvovirus

Sudden death of pups in the 4- to 6-week age range has recently been occurring in western Canada as a result of severe, primary, nonsuppurative myocarditis. At necropsy, the prominent macroscopic lesion was pulmonary edema, and microscopically, characteristic intranuclear inclusion bodies were found within cardiac myofibers in association with myocarditis. Ultrastructurally, numerous small particles resembling parvoviruses were found within the intranuclear inclusion bodies, which were positive by direct fluorescent antibody test for canine parvovirus. Of three pups inoculated with homogenate from affected myocardium, one developed lesions resembling canine parvoviral enteritis.