Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tularemia infection in 87 dogs studied from 2014 to 2016
By Kwit, Natalie A et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2020·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: infection in dogs: 88 cases (2014-2016).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 87 dogs in New Mexico was diagnosed with tularemia, an infection often linked to contact with wild rodents or rabbits. Most dogs showed symptoms like lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite, with some needing hospitalization for treatment. Fortunately, all the hospitalized dogs recovered. If your dog shows signs of illness after being around wildlife, it's important to consult your veterinarian for proper care and prevention advice.
People also search for: dog lethargy fever treatment · tularemia in dogs symptoms · how to prevent dog infections from wildlife
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the epidemiology, clinical signs, and treatment of dogs withinfection in New Mexico. ANIMALS: 87 dogs in which 88 cases of tularemia (1 dog had 2 distinct cases) were confirmed by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory Division from 2014 through 2016 and for which medical records were available. PROCEDURES: Dogs were confirmed to have tularemia if they had a 4-fold or greater increase in anti-antibody titer between acute and convalescent serum samples orhad been isolated from a clinical or necropsy specimen. Epidemiological, clinical, and treatment information were collected from the dogs' medical records and summarized. RESULTS: All 88 cases of tularemia were confirmed by paired serologic titers; the first (acute) serologic test result was negative for 84 (95%) cases. The most common reported exposure towas wild rodent or rabbit contact (53/88 [60%]). Dogs had a median number of 3 clinical signs at initial evaluation; lethargy (81/88 [92%]), pyrexia (80/88 [91%]), anorexia (67/88 [76%]), and lymphadenopathy (18/88 [20%]) were most common. For 32 (36%) cases, the dog was hospitalized; all hospitalized dogs survived. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dogs withinfection often had nonspecific clinical signs and developed moderate to severe illness, sometimes requiring hospitalization. Veterinarians examining dogs from tularemia-enzootic areas should be aware of the epidemiology and clinical signs of tularemia, inquire about potential exposures, and discuss prevention methods with owners, including reducing exposure to reservoir hosts and promptly seeking care for ill animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31910083/