ERLIQUIOSE CANINA: relato de caso

Abstract

One of the main infectious diseases is canine ehrlichiosis, caused by a hemoparasite of the order Rickettsiales and of the genus Ehrlichia spp., which are obligate intracellular parasites of hematopoietic cells. The main species that affects dogs is Ehrlichia canis, and its main form of transmission is through the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Dogs infected with E. canis can develop mild to intense signs or even show no signs, depending on the stage of the condition in which they are. Clinical diagnosis is usually not enough to confirm the disease, due to unspecific clinical signs, so there is a need for further diagnosis. Despite being a disease that can be quite severe, drug therapy consists of administering an antibiotic, with doxycycline being the antibiotic of choice. The present work is a case report of a canine, female, Yorkshire breed, 7 years old, weighing 4,300 kg. During the anamnesis, the tutor reported that the animal was listless, had anorexia, petechiae, weight loss, no appetite. A complete blood count was carried out and, based on the report and clinical symptoms, it was decided to perform the rapid test Alere Erlichiose Ac Test Kit®, where a positive result for E. canis was obtained. Appropriate treatment was indicated according to the diagnosis, the animal returned within 14 days with clinical cure.