LOS ANGELES, Oct 9, (Agencies): The future is looking much brighter for the world's puppies thanks to a groundbreaking development by Elanco Animal Health Incorporated. They have introduced a revolutionary medical treatment for canine parvovirus, a devastating condition that afflicts thousands of puppies every year and has a staggering 91% mortality rate when left untreated.

Dr Jennifer Miller, a technical veterinarian at Elanco, emphasizes the gravity of canine parvovirus: "Canine parvovirus really is a devastating condition for puppies. It's one of the most deadly and contagious viruses that impacts dogs. Canine parvovirus primarily attacks the gastrointestinal tract or the gut of puppies that are either not vaccinated or not completely through their vaccine series. It causes destruction to the gut, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, and shock — and sometimes, in severe cases, we can see bacteria from the gut transferred to the bloodstream that can lead to sepsis, which can be life-threatening."

Despite being a longstanding health issue for US puppies for over four decades, Elanco's treatment, utilizing monoclonal antibodies, represents the very first medical solution for this condition, a significant milestone in veterinary medicine.

Dr Miller further explains the far-reaching impact of the virus: "This virus is really devastating to puppies because it causes severe illness. It's devastating to vet clinics because these are intensive cases that often require management in isolation to prevent infection in other dogs. And it's also really intensive to the pet's family. You've got this new puppy, everybody falls in love, and now this puppy has developed this severe illness, and you don't know if this puppy's going to survive."

Before the advent of monoclonal antibodies, the treatment for parvo mainly focused on "managing the clinical signs" of the disease, as explained by Dr Andrew Cabrera, the chief medical director of The Fix Project, an animal hospital in Long Beach, California, that operates a nonprofit parvo clinic.

One heartwarming success story comes from Cookie, a puppy who personally experienced the remarkable effectiveness of monoclonal antibody treatment for parvo. She was among the first small dogs to receive this innovative treatment.

Cookie was brought to The Fix Project's parvo clinic, where she tested positive for the virus after exhibiting clinical signs. Dr. Cabrera shares her remarkable journey: "We gave the injection, placed the catheter, and gave her the rest of our protocol. And the beautiful part about the drug was we had her in and out. We parvo tested her on a Friday, and she came back strong positive. By Sunday, she was eating. And then by Monday, we parvo tested her, and she was going home that day." Cookie's rapid recovery serves as a beacon of hope for Dr. Cabrera, who regularly assists puppies battling parvovirus, underscoring the transformative potential of this groundbreaking treatment.