Survival patterns and prognostic factors associated with canine parvovirus infection in dogs presented at the KNUST Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.

Abstract

Background: Canine parvovirus (CPV) remains one of the most severe and life-threatening infectious diseases affecting dogs globally, with disproportionately high mortality in puppies. Although CPV has been extensively studied in terms of prevalence and clinical presentation, evidence on survival patterns and prognostic factors in low-and middle-income country veterinary settings remains limited.

Methods: This cohort study was undertaken at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. Diagnosis of CPV infection was based on clinical signs and confirmed by antigen detection using the CPV rapid immunoassay test kit. Only dogs that received treatment until recovery or death were included (n = 205). Data on factors influencing prognosis, including demographic, vaccination, clinical, and management variables, were collected. Time-to-recovery was analysed using cumulative incidence functions with Gray's test and Fine-Gray competing-risk regression. Mortality was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Hazard ratios (HRs) and subdistribution hazard ratios (SHRs) were reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Mortality was highest in treated puppies aged 13-24 weeks and ≤ 12 weeks at 31.5% and 26.9% respectively, with dogs aged > 24 weeks recording the least with 5.9%. Mortality rate decreased progressively with an increasing vaccination frequency, being lowest in dogs vaccinated thrice. Among CPV-positive dogs, local breeds demonstrated a higher recovery rate than foreign breeds (SHR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.07-2.51; p = 0.022). Higher body weight was associated with a lower hazard of death (HR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.97; p = 0.012), while CPV-positive dogs showed a longer time to recovery, with a more gradual recovery trajectory observed beyond Day 5.

Conclusion: This study highlights the significant impact of CPV on survival outcomes among dogs in Ghana, particularly among younger and incompletely vaccinated populations. The findings demonstrate that certain demographic and clinical factors play critical roles in recovery and mortality outcomes. Notably, local breeds exhibited a higher rate of recovery compared to foreign breeds diagnosed with CPV. These findings emphasise the need for strengthened vaccination coverage, early case detection, and context-appropriate clinical management strategies to improve recovery and reduce CPV-related mortality.