Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival and awareness challenges of leptospirosis in dogs
By Tansakul, Mookmanee et al.·Published in Open veterinary journal·2024·Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Survival outcomes, low awareness, and the challenge of neglected leptospirosis in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs suspected of having leptospirosis, a serious infection, was studied to understand their survival outcomes. The research found that dogs with a positive test for the infection had a much shorter lifespan, averaging just 60 days, compared to those who tested negative, who lived around 402 days. The study highlighted that older dogs, especially those showing signs of kidney issues, were at greater risk. Monitoring specific blood test results could help veterinarians assess the risk and guide treatment for these dogs.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a globally neglected zoonotic disease with significant morbidity and mortality in dogs, particularly in resource-limited settings. AIM: This study aimed to characterize prognostic factors and survival outcomes in dogs with suspected leptospirosis, emphasizing the potential underestimation of disease burden. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted using medical records of dogs diagnosed with urinarypolymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: UrinaryPCR was positive in 22 dogs and negative in 62. Azotemia was present in approximately two-thirds of both groups, with no predictive value identified between PCR-positive and PCR-negative dogs. However, PCR-positive dogs exhibited significantly shorter survival times for both all-cause mortality (median 60 days, range: 8-601 days) and leptospirosis-related death (median 27 days, range: 8-67 days) compared to PCR-negative dogs (median 402 days, range: 7-812 days) (< 0.01). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in-dependently predicted leptospirosis-related death (HR = 1.073, 95%CI: 1.02-1.13,= 0.01), while the BUN-to-creatinine ratio predicted all-cause mortality (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.003-1.03,= 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore the severity of leptospirosis in older dogs, particularly those with azotemia or positive PCR results. NLR and BUN to creatinine ratios could be valuable tools for risk assessment and guiding treatment strategies in this vulnerable population.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39553748/