Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eye problems in dogs with Ehrlichia canis infection and treatment
By Komnenou, Anastasia A et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2007·Clinic of Surgery·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ocular manifestations of natural canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis): a retrospective study of 90 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Beagle was brought in for eye problems, specifically showing signs of inflammation and discomfort. The vet diagnosed the dog with ocular issues related to a tick-borne disease called canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, caused by Ehrlichia canis. The treatment involved giving the dog oral doxycycline along with other medications to reduce inflammation and manage pain. After treatment, about half of the dogs showed complete recovery of their eye symptoms, while others had partial improvement. Overall, most dogs responded well to the treatment.
People also search for: dog eye problems · Beagle uveitis treatment · doxycycline for canine ehrlichiosis
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spectrum, prevalence and treatment response rate of ocular manifestations associated with natural canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) due to Ehrlichia canis. METHODS: The medical records of 90 dogs that were admitted for primary ocular problems and reacted positive for E. canis serum antibodies were reviewed. All the dogs were treated with oral doxycycline. In 79 dogs, a combination of systemic corticosteroids and/or topical anti-inflammatory, mydriatics/cycloplegics and antibacterial agents were applied. RESULTS: The dogs ranged from 0.5 to 15 years in age; 55 were male and 35 female. A total of 19 breeds were represented. In the majority of dogs, ocular abnormalities were noticed in conjunction with other CME-induced clinical signs. In 30/90 dogs, ophthalmic signs were the sole presenting complaint. Unilateral (22/90, 24.5%) and bilateral (68/90, 75.5%) uveitis was the most common ophthalmic diagnosis and was classified as anterior, posterior or panuveitis in 58 (64.5%), 8 (8.9%) and 24 (26.6%) of the dogs, respectively. Bilateral uveitis was significantly more common than unilateral uveitis (P < 0.0001), and anterior significantly more common than posterior uveitis (P < 0.0001) or panuveitis (P < 0.0001). In addition, corneal ulceration (12/90, 13.3%), necrotic scleritis (10/90, 11.1%), low tear production (8/90, 8.9%) and orbital cellulitis (3/90, 3.3%) were seen. Of the 45 (50%) dogs with a satisfactory follow-up, 25 (55.5%), 11 (24.5%), and 9 (20%) showed complete, partial and poor response to treatment, respectively. The number of dogs exhibiting complete resolution of the ocular manifestations was significantly higher than those with partial (P < 0.0001) or poor (P < 0.0001) response. CONCLUSIONS: CME should be considered a major differential for a wide range of ocular manifestations exhibited by dogs residing in the endemic areas of the disease. Anterior bilateral uveitis appears to be the most prevalent ocular lesion and a favorable outcome to systemic and topical treatment may be expected in the majority of the affected dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17445073/