Researchers in Serbia have reported what they describe as the first documented natural infection of domestic dogs with raccoon dog and fox amdoparvovirus, following an investigation into severe illness among Dobermanns near Novi Sad.
The findings were posted as a preprint on 24 July 2026 by scientists from the Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”. Because the paper has not yet undergone peer review, its conclusions should be regarded as preliminary.
The investigation involved epidemiologically linked Dobermann dogs kept at a kennel operated by a professional dog trainer near Novi Sad during March and April 2026.
Affected dogs experienced prolonged, multisystem illness. Reported signs included conjunctivitis, ocular and nasal discharge, occasional corneal opacity described as “blue eye”, progressive weight loss, poor coat quality, biochemical evidence of liver injury and, in advanced cases, neurological abnormalities including paraplegia.
How was the virus identified?
Samples repeatedly tested negative for several familiar canine infections, including canine adenovirus, coronavirus, herpesvirus, parvovirus, distemper virus, influenza A and leptospirosis.
Researchers then used metagenomic sequencing, which detected genetic material resembling raccoon dog and fox amdoparvovirus, or RFAV. The assembled viral genome showed approximately 97 per cent similarity to known RFAV sequences.
Targeted PCR subsequently detected RFAV DNA in samples associated with the outbreak, including blood, urine and several organs. Clinically healthy dogs from unrelated locations tested negative in the researchers’ screening.
What is RFAV?
RFAV is a member of the amdoparvovirus group. The virus was first described in farmed raccoon dogs and Arctic foxes in China in research published in 2014.
Amdoparvoviruses infect several carnivore species, and some can establish persistent infections. RFAV is distinct from the better-known canine parvovirus responsible for severe gastrointestinal disease in dogs.
Did RFAV cause the illness?
The findings provide evidence that the dogs were naturally infected with RFAV and that infection was plausibly associated with the outbreak. They do not yet prove conclusively that RFAV alone caused the full clinical syndrome.
The authors noted several limitations. Only a limited number of outbreak-associated animals were investigated, complete clinical and pathological information was unavailable for every dog, and the study did not include viral isolation, serological testing, histopathological localisation of the virus within lesions or long-term viral-load measurements.
Further studies are underway to investigate the virus’s pathogenicity, epidemiology and geographic distribution in domestic and wild canids in Serbia.
What does this mean for dog owners?
The report is an important emerging veterinary finding, but it does not demonstrate widespread RFAV circulation among dogs in Serbia or elsewhere.
No nationwide emergency warning is documented in the sources reviewed, and the paper does not investigate human infection. Owners should seek veterinary advice whenever a dog develops persistent unexplained eye inflammation, weight loss or neurological signs, but the current evidence does not justify alarm.
Read the original research paper published on Preprints.org, where researchers detail the investigation, laboratory findings and limitations of the study before formal peer review. Natural Infection of Domestic Dogs with Raccoon Dog and Fox Amdoparvovirus Resulting in a Severe Disease Outbreak
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