Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and risk factors of Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs
By Espino-Solís, Gerardo Pavel et al.·Published in Journal of infection in developing countries·2023·Universidad Autó·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical and pathological factors associated with Ehrlichia canis in companion dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs was tested for a disease called canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, caused by the bacteria Ehrlichia canis, which can lead to symptoms like loss of appetite, seizures, coughing, and bleeding. The study found that about 27% of the dogs tested were infected, with factors like age and tick exposure increasing the risk. Blood tests showed that many infected dogs had low platelet counts, low white blood cells, and anemia. Recognizing these signs and conducting blood tests can help veterinarians diagnose this disease more effectively.
People also search for: dog seizures and ticks · Ehrlichia canis symptoms in dogs · dog anemia treatment · why is my dog coughing and bleeding
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is a disease caused by the Gram-negative bacteria Ehrlichia canis, a bacterium that affects domestic dogs but can also infect humans. The diagnosis implies a challenge due to its diversity in clinical manifestations. METHODOLOGY: The frequency of E. canis infection, risk factors, and clinical-pathological parameters associated with seropositivity were calculated with the PROC FREQ TABLES and PROC LOGISTIC procedures of the SAS statistical software. RESULTS: The study showed a seroprevalence of 26.62% (156/586). Association between seropositivity and risk factors was found. The age and the presence of ticks including clinical signs such as anorexia, seizures, cough, petechiae, epistaxis, and hematochezia, as well as multiple blood and biochemical alterations were analyzed. The logistic regression analysis showed a high predictive power (c = 0.98) for CME for thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and anemia. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of E. canis in endemic areas makes its diagnosis difficult. Thus, clinical signs must be considered, along with blood and biochemical alterations, as a possible predictor of the disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38064403/