Anti-endotoxin immunotherapy for canine parvovirus endotoxaemia

The morbidity and mortality associated with canine parvovirus disease (CPV) is caused, in part, by endotoxin (LPS). Equine anti-endotoxin hyperimmune plasma (Anti-LPS) was administered to 89 CPV patients in addition to conventional therapy. In Anti-LPS treated CPV patients mortality was lower (16-8 per cent, 15/89) than in controls that received conventional therapy alone (66-7 per cent, 24/36, P < 0–0005). The hospitalization period of survivors was reduced from 8-5 ± 4-0 days (controls) to 5-2 ± 2-0 days (Anti-LPS treated group). These results suggest that an anti-endotoxin specific therapy should be incorporated into the treatment regimen of CPV, and possibly, other canine enteric disorders, known to produce endotoxaemia.