Hello everyone,

this is my first question on the forum and I'm hoping to get some much needed advice:-)
I am planning on mating very soon one of my girls, it will be her 1st mating, and hopefully, litter. However, she has just been tested positive for Canine Herpes Virus. Despite all the research i have done so far i still don't have answers to all the questions. My vet doesn't seem to know much more about the issue than i do, but tells me it shouldn't stop me from breeding her, as long as i get her vaccinated, so the virus won't become active during pregnancy and lactation.
I really want to go ahead with the breeding but at the same time I have few concerns, especially about wellbeing of the pups. Do any of the breeders have any experience of dealing with CHV affected breeding stock, or maybe heard of similar situation? The information i have found says that after the vaccine a bitch will develop temporary immunity and her litter will be safe from infection, as she will pass antibodies in colostrum. But what about a bitch who is already affected? Will the vaccine work in the same way? Will the pups be prone to dying of puppy fading syndrome, or will be protected but become carriers themselves?
I will be grateful for any help xx

Many breeders vaccinate for CHV without knowing if the bitch is affected or not, first dose given within 7days of mating and second one 10 days before due date.

Do you know where she picked the virus up?

I can't be sure but few months ago she finished her gundog training, she came in contact with many other dogs during that time, so I'm assuming it was there...

Presumably she'll pass it on to the stud dog??

She probably would, however, the kennel where the stud dog is from has 1 affected bitch (at least). The breeder did some investigation after she aborted the pups twice, she was diagnosed as chv carrier, and now the breeder vaccinates all the bitches after matings without even testing if they are affected. So in this case the stud dog is probably already affected and so are other dogs in this kennel. Actually, it is estimated that as many as 80% of dogs in the UK have come or will come in the contact with this virus during their lives, but owners won't even know about it, as vast majority of dogs will never show any symptoms. Unless, of course, a pregnant bitch will abort her babies, or they will die from fading syndrome after the virus in the mum becomes active.

Sorry I do not have an answer to your question, but a further query. You say your bitch has been diagnosed as carrying the canine herpes virus.  Can I ask whether it is an easy test to diagnose CHV? If it is relatively easy to diagnose whether a dog or bitch is carrying CHV then perhaps it would be useful to know before a mating takes place. The breeder could then decide whether to use the canine herpes vaccine vaccine on the bitch if the mating is to go ahead.

As I mentioned before I don't know of any breeders who routinely test their bitches but still give the vaccine as a precaution.

The studs I have used in the past have never mated a bitch or only mated one of the stud owners bitches, if it was stud I knew to have been used several times to outside bitches I would probably get the vacs done,you need to let the vet know in advance to allow them time to get the vaccine as many don't routinely keep it in stock.

Sorry, I just have another question to add to the mix:  If you know the bitch is CHV positive, perhaps the stud dog should have the vaccine - just in case he doesn't actually carry it yet, and to save him from passing it onto future bitches?

Hello again,

I thought it would be nice to come back with an update to those of you who may be interested in what has happened since my last post:-)

I am happy to say that my girl has just been confirmed pregnant by u-scan at 4 weeks and everything looked very normal, so fingers crossed.
She was vaccinated 10 days after mating and is supposed to get another dose 10 days before her estimated due date.
My vet is confident that she should have no problems with the pregnancy or puppies later on, and I hope she is right.
The only question I have ( for now! lol) is if I should be extra strict on disinfecting and keeping the whelping box very clean. It is my first ever experience with this virus, so far I have only read about it.
I am so excited but also very nervous as it has been almost 10 years since my last litter, but I hope we will do fine:-)

I will be happy to post some updates if any of you would like to know how we are getting on xxx

In answer to your question re disinfecting the virus is very easily killed in the environment so you only need do normal routine cleaning expected for mother and puppies.

I would like to ask you a similar question to the one Hexie posed earlier. How is your Vet and the Vet of the stud dog owner testing and coming up with a positive result for CHV1? It would be very useful for breeders to know which UK Laboratory is able to provide these definitive results. Are they done by tracheal wash or swab? Or are these PCR results from serum samples being sent abroad and the tests done overseas in Labs equiped for the job?

Do get back and let us know how you get on. It sounds as though your Vet is giving you all the correct advice and everything should go well.

reading your post i know how ur feeling we lost our litter of bulldogs three weeks ago to herpes we didnt know anything about it and didnt under stand and a lot of vet dont even know theres a vaccine for this as far as im aware and not all ur read is true my vet says the vac does work and pups are healthy and av just as must chance as any dog of having an healthy litter , we have had ppl saying not to breed her again but u can we are trying our bitch once more the problem with the pups is that there temp is below 100dergs and the virus stays active once pups are 3 4 weeks old the body temp stables and keeps the virus doormat 1in 2 dogs av the virus as do us

if u get any more info on this at all could u please fill me in

It is to fight off the Herpes virus that we keep pups and their surroundings extra warm, it only takes them getting chilled for a short period for things to go wrong so as well as the heat pad I keep a minimum/maximum thermometer at the level of the pups and check regularly.