Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leishmaniasis symptoms and treatment in UK dogs with travel history
By Silvestrini, P et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2016·Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical leishmaniasis in dogs living in the UK.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in the UK was diagnosed with leishmaniasis after showing symptoms like lethargy, skin problems, decreased appetite, and limping. This disease is rare in the UK but can occur in dogs that have traveled to areas where it is more common. The treatment mainly involved the use of allopurinol, which is often effective. While the overall prevalence of leishmaniasis in the UK is low, pet owners should be aware of the signs, especially if their dog has traveled to endemic regions.
People also search for: dog lethargy skin problems travel · leishmaniasis treatment for dogs · why is my dog limping after travel
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of leishmaniasis in dogs in the UK and to describe clinical presentation, clinicopathological abnormalities, therapeutic protocols and outcome in this non-endemic country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of dogs diagnosed with leishmaniasis at seven referral centres in the UK were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The prevalence was between 0·007 and 0·04% with a higher number of cases in southern England. All dogs had a history of travel to or from an endemic country. Lethargy, dermatological disease, decreased appetite and lameness were the most common reasons for presentation. Allopurinol was used alone for treatment in the majority of cases. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Although rare, leishmaniasis should be considered in dogs in the UK if they have compatible clinical signs and history of travel to or from endemic areas.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27251904/