Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Leptospirosis in dogs causing jaundice and weakness
By Pereira, Camilla Teotonio·Published in Pubvet·2025·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Leptospirose canina
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old female dog showed signs of illness, including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), loss of appetite, weakness, dark urine, and diarrhea. These symptoms started after she may have come into contact with rodents during walks. Blood tests indicated anemia and elevated levels of certain substances, leading to a diagnosis of leptospirosis, an infection caused by bacteria. The dog was treated with antibiotics (doxycycline) and received supportive care to help her organs recover. With this treatment, she was able to improve.
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Abstract
Canine leptospirosis is considered the most prevalent zoonosis, affecting various animal species, including humans, and representing a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally. This report describes the case of an eight-year-old female dog that presented with generalized jaundice, anorexia, muscular weakness, markedly dark urine and diarrhea. The clinical signs began four days prior, following possible contact with rodents during daily walks on the street. Hematological analysis revealed mild normocytic normochromic anemia, leukocytosis due to neutrophilia without a left shift, and elevated levels of urea, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin and its fractions. The definitive diagnosis was established through the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), which yielded a reactive result for Leptospira interrogans, serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae at a titer of 1: 100.Treatment included antibiotic therapy with doxycycline, combined with supportive care aimed at preserving the function of affected organs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.31533/pubvet.v19n08e1819