Clinico - haemato - biochemical and therapeutic studies on ehrlichiosis in dogs
Loading...
Files
Date
2015
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study was conducted to study the prevalence, clinico-haemato-biochemical changes and therapeutic management of ehrlichiosis in clinical cases of dogs presented at Small Animal Clinics of GADVASU, Ludhiana, Punjab (India). Overall prevalence of canine ehrlichiosis recorded among the presented cases by blood smear examination was 7.74 per cent, serology was 86.90 per cent and PCR was 78.57 per cent. Main clinical signs were congested/pale mucus membrane, fever, anorexia, melena, epistaxis, weakness, lethargy and tick infestation, hind limb weakness respiratory distress, corneal opacity, seizures, oedema of legs, bleeding tendencies and petechieal haemorrhages. Main haemato-biochemical findings were anaemia, thrombocytopenia, leucocytosis, lymphopenia, eosinophilia, hypercreatinemia, hyperglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia, decrease in albumin & globulin ratio and increase in AST, ALT and ALKP activity. Dogs positive for Ehrlicha canis were divided into two groups and were treated with oral doxycycline for a period of 21 days and injectable tetracycline for a period of 5 days followed by oral combination of doxycycline upto 21 days. After treatment, significant increase in the mean values of Hb, PCV, platelets and significant decrease in the mean values of eosinophils, ALT, ALKP and Creatinine were recorded. Blood smear examination was found to be less sensitive technique when compared to PCR and serology. Serology is more sensitive and less time consuming technique and it can be used by clinician in clinics for early diagnosis of disease. Most of the cases treated with oral doxycycline were still positive by PCR on 15 day but negative after 21 day post treatment as compared to injectable tetracycline. Hence affected dogs should be treated up to 21 days. Oral doxycycline showed highest therapeutic efficacy as compared to injectable tetracycline