Beastly Bug Rounds educates on rare disease

PHILADELPHIA—The 141st American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) convention showcased Beastly Bug Rounds, the title given to a session conducted by Joseph Taboada, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University.

Taboada's presentation discussed a perplexing case of Sweetie, a 2-year-old, heartworm-positive mixed breed canine, presenting problems of intermittent lethargy, anorexia and weakness.

• Upon physical exam, the dog was thin, with cranial organomegaly.

• A CBC test didn't reveal anything extra-ordinary aside from a high white blood cell count.

• A chemistry panel was taken.

• Urine protein/creatinine ratio was 2.8.

• An abdominal radiograph was taken.

• A tissue sample was taken from the dog.

• Hepatic amyloidosis was suspected.

The test results led to the final prognosis of hepatozoonosis, which is transmitted by the brown dog tick, reported in Africa, Asia and southern Europe.

Hepatozoonosis is caused by the protozoan parasite Hepatozoon canis, and has been found in the southern United States. Louisiana, where Sweetie lives, has a history of harboring the parasite.

Ticks that carry the parasite transmit the pest primarily when a dog ingests the infected tick.The parasite then infects the dog's spleen, lungs, liver, muscles and bone marrow.

Younger dogs are infected more commonly, especially if the animal's immunity is suppressed, as in Sweetie's case from heartworm disease.

What to watch for

• Fever

• Nasal/eye discharge

• Weight loss

• Reduced interest in food

• Pale gum color

• Bloody diarrhea

Developments

• Sometimes dogs will become anemic.

• Muscle biopsies and blood cells might reveal the parasite.

Treatment

Dogs can be treated with imidocarb, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfadiazine or clindamycin.

The dog will not be cured by treatment, which can take weeks of combatance to show real improvement, Taboada says. Relapses of the disease must be treated by a veterinarian. Death is a possibility if not treated aggressively.

Basic tick preventative can eliminate need for concern of the disease.