Clinical and hematological aspects of dogs naturally infected with Ehrlichia spp. and Leptospira interrogans

Abstract

Ehrlichiosis and leptospirosis are frequent diseases in tropical countries, although they are not always differentially diagnosed. The purpose of this work was to evaluate clinical signs and hematological alterations in dogs reactive to leptospirosis, among them those that presented morulas of Ehrlichia spp. in peripheral blood, and to recognize the frequency of Leptospira serovars by means of the microscopic agglutination test. Blood samples were used from 50 dogs presenting morulas of Ehrlichia spp. in blood extensions collected from the marginal ear capillaries. The clinical signs frequently observed were apathy (100%), anorexia/dysorexia (100%), adypsia (83.33%), ocular secretion (66.66%), reactive lymph nodes (66.66%), diarrhea (58.33%), vomiting, anemia and fever (41.66%). Albeit unspecific, anemia and thrombocytopenia are frequent hematological findings in canine ehrlichiosis and are present in both diseases. Of the 50 dogs with ehrlichiosis, 12 (24%) were reactive to leptospirosis, and the most frequent serovars were Pomona (33.33%), followed by Canicola (27.77%) and Icterohaemorrhagiae (22.22%). The results suggest the need to establish a differential diagnosis between these diseases that may occur concomitantly.