First Detection of Raccoon Dog and Fox Amdoparvovirus in a Clinically Ill Domestic Dog in Croatia

Raccoon dog and fox amdoparvovirus (RFAV), classified as Amdoparvovirus carnivoran3, was recently identified in domestic dogs, though its clinical significance remains unclear. This study describes RFAV detection in a 4-year-old female Doberman Pinscher with multisystemic disease, including progressive weight loss, poor coat condition, ocular lesions, hyperkeratosis of the nasal planum and footpads, and marked icterus. Clinical progression and laboratory parameters were monitored during hospitalisation, followed by postmortem pathological assessment. Antemortem and postmortem specimens were tested for amdoparvovirus DNA. PCR products were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Amdoparvovirus DNA was detected in nasal, conjunctival, and rectal swabs, whole blood, urine, and multiple postmortem tissues. Sequencing confirmed the virus as Amdoparvovirus carnivoran3, with the Croatian sequence closely related to a strain recently reported in clinically affected Doberman Pinschers in Serbia. Additionally, 60 archived canine rectal swab samples collected earlier in 2026 were screened for amdoparvoviruses. All retrospectively screened samples tested negative. This study documents the first detection of an RFAV in a domestic dog in Croatia and provides possible clinical and histopathological data on RFAV in domestic dogs. However, these findings do not establish a causal relationship between RFAV infection and the observed clinical signs. Furthermore, the small number of tested archival samples limits the interpretation of the negative results and precludes reliable estimates of RFAV prevalence.