The reason why there is no effective test prior to development of symptoms
is two-fold:
a) the first symptom of ECE is its horrible symtoms - 48 hours doesn't
give you a lot of time.
b) until a virus can be grown, there is no possibility of a test.
Coronaviruses are notoriously difficult to grow - the coronavirus that
causes feline infectious peritonitis took almost ten years in one of the
best labs around.
 
Why is there no effective treatment?  Because this is a viral enteritis.
There is no effective antiviral drugs in veterinary medicine.  We treat
symptoms and sequelae.  Pharmacologically, we still can't directly treat
viruses - they aren't susceptible to antibiotics.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3404]