Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hepatozoon infection signs in dogs from urban Brazil
By Gomes, Paula Virgínia et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2010·Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Occurrence of Hepatozoon sp. in dogs in the urban area originating from a municipality in southeastern Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in Brazil showed signs of infection from a parasite called Hepatozoon sp., with symptoms including pale gums, swollen lymph nodes, eye discharge, and pain when their kidneys were examined. Out of 300 dogs tested, about 7.66% were found to have this infection. The study noted that certain breeds and age groups might be more affected. While the exact source of the infection wasn't identified, all the ticks collected were of a common species known to carry this parasite. Treatment details weren't specified, but recognizing these symptoms can help owners seek timely veterinary care.
People also search for: dog pale gums symptoms · swollen lymph nodes in dogs · Hepatozoon infection treatment · dog eye discharge causes · tick-borne diseases in dogs
Abstract
The occurrence of Hepatozoon sp. infection in dogs was evaluated in the urban area of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study involved 300 animals, 120 from the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 80 from private clinics, and 100 from the Animal Protective Association (APA). Among these animals, 7.66% presented Hepatozoon sp. gamonts inside neutrophils. No statistically significant difference was found among the diagnoses based on capillary and venous blood smears, but a statistical significance was identified in age range and breed. The main signs and symptoms the animals presented were pale mucous membranes, swollen lymph nodes, ocular discharge and pain in response to renal palpation. All the ticks collected were of the species Rhipicephalus sanguineus and no oocyst of the parasite was found in the hemolymph of the ixodidae. The findings of this study reinforce the presence of Hepatozoon sp. infecting dogs in Uberlândia, MG, with age and breed possibly related to the infection. The symptoms presented by the animals were consistent with those reported by other researchers.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20810218/