A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study on the Molecular Prevalence of Viral Infections in Domestic Canines and Felines in Bareilly, India

Canine and feline viral infections remain a significant threat to companion animal health in India due to high population density, variable vaccination coverage, and frequent animal movement. This retrospective cross-sectional study investigated the molecular prevalence of major viral pathogens in domestic dogs and cats presented to the Referral Veterinary Polyclinic, ICAR–IVRI, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, over a two-year period (November 2023–November 2025). A total of 1,394 clinical samples (719 canine and 675 feline) were analysed using PCR. Among dogs, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) was the most prevalent (21%), followed by canine coronavirus (8.9%), canine adenovirus 1 (5.14%), and canine adenovirus 2 (3.89%), with occasional mixed infections. In cats, feline panleukopenia virus (23.85%) predominated, followed by feline herpesvirus-1 (2.81%) and feline calicivirus (0.14%), while feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus were not detected. Viral nucleic acids were identified in some vaccinated animals, indicating possible vaccine failure or early infection. These findings highlight the continued circulation of viral pathogens and emphasize the need for sustained molecular surveillance and optimized vaccination strategies.