CANINE EHRLICHIOSIS

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

AKASH H R DEPT. OF VLD
HVK1602
 About the patient
• Case number:17163
 Animal: Dog
Species: Canine
• Breed: German shepherd
 Sex: female
Age: 4 yrs
 Body weight: 24kg
 Owner’s complaint
 Reported that animal is having severe dry
cough started 2 days back. feed intake is decresed

History
 No history of cough reported earlier.
 Vaccination & deworming proper.
 OBSERVATIONS
 Animal was active and alert.
 On auscultation tracheal sounds highly
exaggerated. Palpation of trachea elicited
cough.
 Lung sounds exaggerated. Heart sounds
masked by lung sounds.
 Pre-scapular & sub-maxillary lymph nodes
enlarged.
 OBSERVATIONS
 Respiration rate: 102/min.(15-25)
 Pulse: 100/min (100-130)
 Temperature: 103.2°F
 MM: slightly congested
 Palpation of pharynx revealed no
 structural abnormalities.
 RESULT OF LABORATORY EXAMINATION
 Faecal sample: negative for ova of
parasites
 Blood smear: E.canis morulae could
be seen in the monocytes.
 Blood smear: No bacteria of
pathogenic significance could be seen.
RESULT OF LABORATORY EXAMINATION
 Hb - 10 g%(12-18)
 ESR- 1mm/hr (5-15)
 TLC - 7300/cmm (6000-17000)
 RBC - 4.3 million/cmm (5.5-8.5)
 Band cell – 2% (0-3%)
 Eosinophil – 3% (2-10%)
 Monocyte – 3% (3-10%)
 Lymphocyte – 13%(12 – 30 %)
 Neutrophil – 79% (60-70%)
TREATMENT
Inj. 5D -250ml -I/V
Inj, FPP -3.3ML -I/M
Inj. Rantac -2ml -S/C
Inj. Perionorm -2ml –I/M
 Tab. DoxyI 100mg × 10
Sig. 1tab daily orally
(Doxycycline @ 5mg/kg BID PO
Glycodine syrup × 1
Sig. 2 tsp BID orally
Animal was brought 2 days after &
there was slight improvement in the
condition.
Temperature -104°F
Pulse – 98/ min
Respiration - panting
Advised the owner to continue the
treatment for 3 days.
R×
Tab DoxyI 100mg × 24
Sig 1tab BID orally
Follow-up
Animal showed improvement in
condition &
the cough was reduced & stopped.
 CANINE EHRLICHIOSIS
Etiology
Ehrlichia canis affecting wild &
domestic canids.
 Tropism for circulating leukocytes.
 Replicate in the phagosomes of leukocytes
STAGES IN LIFE CYCLE
 Elementary body
 Initial body
 Morulae
Transmission: by tick
bite.
Vector: Rhipicephalus
sanguineus
 PATHOGENESIS
 Commonly called Canine monocytic
ehrlichiosis.
 Incubation period:8-20 days.
 ACUTE PHASE: Rapid multiplication in
the WBCs, spreads throughout the body
reaching various parenchymatous organs
like lungs, liver etc. In this phase symptoms
are manifested.
lab findings in acute phase:
Anaemia, leukaemia, Thrombocytopaenia

Mechanisms of
thrombocytopaenia:
1.Increased platelet consumption by
endothelial blood vessels.
2.Increased platelet destruction by spleen.
3.Antiplatelet antibodies.
 CHRONIC PHASE:
Bone marrow depression or bone
marrow
hypoplasia – reduction in all type of
cells.
 Tropical canine pancytopaenia
Very low parasitaemia at this stage.
CLINICAL FINDINGS
 Due to involvement of hemic &
lymphoreticular systems.
 Commonly progress from acute to
chronic
depending on
- Strain of the organism.
- Immune status of the animal.
- Improper treatment.
In Acute cases: Fever, anorexia,
depression, lymph node enlargement,
reluctance to walk, edema of limbs,
coughing, dyspnoea, polyarthritis,
diarrhoea etc.
Chronic cases: marked spleenomegaly,
renal failure, interstitial pneumonitis,
cerebellar ataxia, depression, paresis,
severe weight loss.
Lesions
Spleenomegaly, lymphadenopathy,
haemorrhage in the liver, kidney, GIT.
 DIAGNOSIS
- Symptoms
-Demonstration of organisms (morulae)
with in the WBCs in blood smear or buffy
coat smear.(Giemsa stain)
-Indirect immuno fluorescence test
-Molecular diagnosis- PCR
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

Acute cases: Hepatozoon canis, Babesia

canis, Haemobartonella
canis,Lymphadenopathy.
Chronic cases: Immune mediated pan
cytopaenia, other diseases associated with
specific organs like glomarulo nephritis.
TREATMENT
 Tetracyclines – 10-20mg/Kg parenterally
for 14 days, 22mg/Kg TID orally for 2
weeks in acute cases & 1-2 months in
chronic cases
 Doxycycline – 5-10mg/Kg PO or i/v for
10-14 days (if tetracycline fails or in old
dogs with kidney problems)
Supportive therapy to combat wasting &
specific organ dysfunction.
THANK YOU