Achados clínicos e laboratoriais em cães naturalmente infectados pela Ehrlichia canis

Abstract

In view of the importance and the high prevalence of erlichiosis in the clinical practice of small animals, we evaluated 20 dogs of both sexes, several breeds, ages and naturally infected by Ehrlichia canis, which presented clinical signs suggestive of the disease and positive to the serological test as diagnostic method , attended at the Veterinary Hospital of the Municipality of Recife, PE, Brazil, from September 2017 to May 2018. Four ml of blood were collected, using 1.5 ml for the serological test and the blood count and 2.5 ml for the biochemical analysis. 75% of the animals presented apathy, 50% vomiting, 45% ocular secretion and 5% hemorrhagic disorder. The values for red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit were below the reference values, however, there was a high variability in rod and eosinophil variables, with values of standard deviations higher than the corresponding mean values, and fairly high values in the standard deviation, segmented variables, lymphocytes and monocytes. For the variables (PPT, urea, ALT, AST, FA, and Phosphorus) the results were found to be within the reference values. However, the variability was elevated in alkaline phosphatase with a standard deviation value higher than the corresponding mean and were reasonably high in the urea, creatinine and AST variables. Total plasma proteins were elevated in 55% of patients, followed by 20% urea, ALT, FA and phosphorus, each with 15%. Values lower than the reference were recorded in 50% of patients with respect to calcium, 35% in albumin and 5% phosphorus. In the other variables, the majority of patients were classified as normal. It is concluded that the clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities found in dogs naturally infected by Ehrlichia canis are not specific signs for the diagnosis of the disease and other means must be used as a diagnostic tool.