EHRLICHIOSIS IN SIBERIAN HUSKY DOGS WITH SEVERE THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND WATERY STOOLS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24843/vsmj.2024.v6.i02.p08Keywords:
dog, ehrlichiosis, thrombocytopenia, watery StoolsAbstract
Ehrlichiosis is an important disease affecting dogs caused by gram-negative intracellular bacteria of the genus Ehrlichia belonging to the family Anaplasmataceae. In dogs, ehrlichiosis is transmitted by the tick vector Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Watery stools can be caused by feeding errors, bacterial infections, viral infections, and gastrointestinal parasitic infections. The purpose of this paper is to determine the success rate of treatment in cases of Ehrlichiosis with severe thrombocytopenia accompanied by watery stools in Siberian Husky dogs. The case dog is a 2-year-old Siberian Husky purebred female with a body weight of 11 kg brought by its owner to the Veterinary Internal Medicine Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University with complaints of nosebleeds, thin, weak, lethargic, lots of scales, hair falls out easily, often scratching, and watery stools since the last 1 month. The results of the physical examination showed pale eye mucosa, CRT > 2 seconds, easy hair loss, scale and crusts with a score of pruritus 7. On the digestive examination, the stools came out runny with a fecal score of 6. The results of the blood test showed the presence of Ehrlichia sp. The results of the examination using the antibody kit showed positive results for Ehrlichia sp. On stool examination using the floating method, no parasites were found. Based on the history, clinical signs, and results of investigations, the case dog was diagnosed with ehrlichiosis with a fausta prognosis. Treatment given to case dogs was causative therapy with the antibiotic doxycycline (10 mg/kg BW) orally once a day for 28 days and injection of ivermectin (0.3 mg/kg BW) subcutaneously. Symptomatic treatment is by intramuscular injection of Diphenhydramine HCl (1 mg/kg BW), while supportive therapy is given one Sangobion tablet per day for 10 days. For handling runny feces, it is recommended to replace feed with commercial dry feed (Dog Choize). Treatment showed good results as indicated by the dog not scratching anymore, the dog is active again, hair growth, weight gain, stool consistency is solid and free of ticks. Suggestions for owners to avoid re-infection with ehrlichiosis can be done by avoiding direct contact with pet dogs or stray dogs that are infested with ticks, taking other dogs to the vet for treatment to avoid tick infestations. In addition, owners are also advised not to change the feed given to avoid the occurrence of watery stools again.