Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and outcomes of leptospirosis in dogs in England
By Raj, Jennifer et al.Ā·Published in The Veterinary recordĀ·2021Ā·Dick White Referrals, United KingdomĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Clinical findings in dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis in England.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in England were diagnosed with leptospirosis, a serious infection that can affect both the liver and kidneys. Common symptoms included not wanting to eat, vomiting, and being unusually tired. Many of these dogs also showed signs of liver and kidney problems when tested. Fortunately, about 71% of the dogs survived after treatment, but those with more severe kidney issues had a harder time recovering. This highlights the importance of vaccination against leptospirosis, especially in areas where the disease is common.
People also search for: dog vomiting and lethargy Ā· leptospirosis treatment in dogs Ā· signs of kidney disease in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide importance. This study describes the clinical findings and outcome of dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis in England. METHODS: Retrospective review of medical records of dogs diagnosed with leptospirosis from a single referral hospital located in Eastern England. RESULTS: Thirty-eight dogs met the inclusion criteria. Clinical signs included inappetence (76%), vomiting (68%), lethargy (58%), polydipsia and polyuria (18%) and abdominal pain (16%). Disease manifestations included hepatic and renal involvement (47%), hepatic only (37%), renal only (16%); no dogs were found to have respiratory involvement. Clinicopathological findings at presentation included anaemia (42%), thrombocytopenia (43%), increased alanine transaminase activity (ALT) (66%), hyperbilirubinemia (55%), azotaemia (68%), hypoalbuminaemia (49%) and glucosuria (32%). Seven serovars of Leptospira interrogans or Leptospira kirschneri were detected; the most prevalent was Copenhageni (48%). Seventy-one percent survived to discharge. Dogs in the non-surviving group had a higher creatinine at presentation compared to survivors (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Copenhageni was the most prevalent serovar in this population. This supports the use of a vaccine including this serovar, in this region. Renal involvement was associated with reduced survival to discharge. A hepatic only form was common in this population, and leptospirosis should be included as a differential diagnosis for dogs suffering with a hepatopathy. No cases had significant pulmonary involvement, but ongoing clinical vigilance for this disease manifestation is essential.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34085284/