Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Seizures from blood thickening in dogs with leishmaniasis
By Proverbio, Daniela et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2016·From Department of Health, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Seizures as a Consequence of Hyperviscosity Syndrome in Two Dogs Naturally Infected with Leishmania infantum.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs with leishmaniasis, a disease caused by a parasite, were brought in for seizures. Tests showed they had hyperviscosity syndrome, which means their blood was thicker than normal, along with other issues like low red blood cells and platelets. The veterinarians treated them with specific medications, meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol, which helped both dogs improve and return to normal blood viscosity. While seizures are not common in dogs with this condition, it's important for pet owners to consider leishmaniasis if their dog has seizures.
People also search for: dog seizures treatment · leishmaniasis in dogs · hyperviscosity syndrome in dogs
Abstract
Serum hyperviscosity syndrome (HVS) was documented in two dogs with canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and seizures as the major clinical complaint. In both cases, laboratory abnormalities included mild non-regenerative anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperproteinemia with monoclonal gammopathy, and marked serum hyperviscosity. CanL was diagnosed using cytology in one case and indirect immunofluorescence assay and conventional polymerase chain reaction in the second. Specific therapy with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol(c) led to short-term remission in both dogs and normalization of serum viscosity. Although dogs rarely develop HVS, it should be suspected if hyperproteinemia and monoclonal gammopathy are present. Since CanL manifests with a variety of clinical presentations, including seizures resulting from HVS-induced central nervous system hypoxia, it should also be considered as a differential diagnosis in animals with seizures as a primary presenting sign.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26808431/