Prevalence of positive antibody test results for canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) and response to modified live vaccination against CPV and CDV in dogs entering animal shelters

Canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) infections are relatively common in animal shelters and are important population management issues since the immune status of incoming dogs is usually unknown. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of positive antibody test results for CPV and CDV in incoming dogs aged ≥4 months and to measure antibody response over 2 weeks following vaccination with a modified live vaccine (MLV). Dogs aged 4–24 months entering an adoption-guarantee shelter (Shelter 1, n = 51) and aged ≥4 months entering a limited admission shelter (Shelter 2; n = 51) were enrolled. Dogs from Shelter 1 had been vaccinated with MLV at a municipal shelter 5 days before enrolment, whereas dogs from Shelter 2 had no known history of vaccination at enrolment. Sera were obtained on day 1, immediately prior to CPV/CDV MLV, and tested using an in-clinic ELISA kit to detect CPV/CDV antibodies. Dogs negative for CPV and/or CDV were retested at day 6–8 and those dogs still negative at day 6–8 were retested at day 13–15. Prior to CPV/CDV MLV on day 1, more dogs tested positive for CPV (Shelter 1 – 68.6%; Shelter 2 – 84.3%) than for CDV (Shelter 1 – 37.3%; Shelter 2 – 41.2%). On day 1, prior to MLV, all spayed/neutered animals tested CPV antibody-positive (n = 17/102) and CPV antibody-positive dogs were older than serologically negative dogs (Shelter 1, P = 0.0029; Shelter 2, P = 0.0042). By day 13–15, almost all dogs were CPV antibody-positive (Shelter 1 – 97.9%; Shelter 2 – 100.0%) and CDV antibody-positive (Shelter 1 – 93.8%; Shelter 2 – 97.8%). MLV induces protective antibody titers against CPV/CDV in almost all dogs after 13–15 days.