Canine ehrlichiosis: Case report

Abstract

Ehrlichiosis is a very common disease in the small animal clinic caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Erliquia canis transmitted by the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus, which causes serious symptoms that can lead the animal to death. It is important to detect hemoparasites because it is a disease caused by vectors, and common occurrence of co-infections, since some of these agents are transmitted by the same vector, or by different vectors infected with a single agent. During the visit at the University Veterinary Hospital of the UFPI, in the anamnesis, a 3-month-old Dalmatian dog with anorexia, apathetic and weak, was observed after 3 days of vaccination (first octogenic dose). At the clinical examination, the animal was found to be dehydrated, pale ocular and oral mucosa, pedicels throughout the ventral region, ixodidosis, and submandibular, pre-scapular and popliteal enlarged lymph nodes. Hemogram, biochemical and parasitological tests were performed to investigate hematozoalis (smears), which resulted in alterations in the red and white series, giant platelets, below the reference values, besides the visualization of Erliquia canis parasitizing red blood cells. As a treatment was instituted doxiclina, vitamin B1, levamisol hydrochloride, silymarin, sarolaner, vitamin C. The treatment was effective and the animal recovered.