Fatal Canine Adenovirus Type 1 Infection in Dhole (Cuon alpinus) Pups

Background: Infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) is an uncommonly recognized disease of dogs and wild canids. This study aimed to investigate and report an outbreak of infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) caused by canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1) in dhole (Cuon alpinus) pups at Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru, Karnataka. Methods: During this investigation, four dhole pups succumbed following a short clinical course of ICH. Clinical biochemical and hematological tests were done. Gross and histopathological observations were made along with genome detection through PCR. Result: Clinical findings comprised of leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and anaemia with high levels of total and direct bilirubin as well as ALT, AST and ALP enzymes. The necropsy findings were sub-mandibular edema, generalised icterus, petechial haemorrhages on liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys and skeletal muscles. Liver was enlarged, haemorrhagic, friable and severely icteric with rounded borders. Histopathologically, intranuclear inclusion bodies typical of CAV-1 infection could be observed in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells in the liver. The disease confirmation was done on histopathological findings and detection of CAV-1 genome through PCR.