Haryana Vet. 48 (December, 2009), pp 110-111 Clinical Article

LEPTOSPIROSIS IN A DOG: A CASE REPORT

DEEPIKA LATHER,' VIVEK SAXENA and S. K. MISHRADepartment of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Sciences

CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004

SUMMARY

A case ofleptospirosis in dog was diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs such as pyrexia, emesis, hematemesis, oliguria and icterus. Thehematological examination revealed anemia, leucocytosis due to neutrophilia, elevated BUN, creatinine levels upon biochemical examinationand high positive anti-leptospiral titre with leptodipstick method. Histopathological examination revealed interstitial nephritis and hepatitis. t.-

Key words: Leptospirosis, dog, nephritis, hepatitis

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease affectingmany animal species with zoonotic significance.Disease is caused by antigenically distinct serovars ofLeptospira interrogans that infects both animals andman (Greene, 2006). The common serovars in caninesare L. canicola, L. icterohaemorrhagiae and sometimesL. grippotyphosa and L. bratislava (Subcommittee ontaxonomy of Leptospira, 1992). The disease has nowbeen identified as one of the emerging infections havingworldwide distribution and zoonotic significance. Theepidemiology ~f leptospirosis has been modified bychanges in animal husbandry practices, climate andhuman behaviour (Levett, 2001). Use of simple, quickand rapid diagnostic techniques can serve as an aid foreffective and early 'treatment of affected animals andhence can reduce mortality among dogs. There arereports of increasing numbers of clinical cases that toowith diverse clinical presentations. The present paperplaces on record a case of leptospirosis in a Labradordog.

A five year old Labrador dog was brought toveterinary hospital (Dog and Cat Clinic, Meerut) withclinical signs of pyrexia, anorexia, emesis, dehydration,oliguria, lethargy, shivering and abnormal gait. Inaddition, hematemesis and melena were also observed.Clinical examination revealed shrunken eyeballs,yellowish discoloration of the mucous membrane ofconjunctiva and ventral abdominal skin.

'Corresponding author

Blood was collected with anti-coagulant (EDTA@lmg/ml) for hematological and withoutanticoagulant for biochemical and serologicalexaminations. Urine sample was collected bycatheterization for microscopic examination. Aftercentrifugation of urine sample, Fontana's silverimpregnation staining technique was performed fordemonstration of organisms (Luna, 1968).Hematological parameters particularly hemoglobin,packed cell volume, total leucocyte count anddifferential leucocyte count were estimated followingstandard procedures (Benzamin," 1985). Biochemicalanalysis was done for blood urea nitrogen (Diacetylmonoxime method) and creatinine (Alkaline picratemethod) using Span diagnostic kits as per themanufacturer's protocol. The serum sample wasanalyzed by the Dot-Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent

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Fig. Leptospira organisms.(Fontana's silver impregnation method x 400)

Assay (LEPTO-Dipstick) based commercially availablekit (Biogal's, Israel) to assess IgG antibody titer.

Dog was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics(Ampicillin-Cloxacillin), diuretics (Frusemide), anti-emetics (Perinorm) and intravenous fluid therapy(Ringer's lactate). However, the dog eventually diedafter 3 days of treatment. Representative pieces of thetissues from visceral organs were collected in 10%neutral buffered formalin and processed by routinemethod for histopathological examination (Clayden,1962).

Clinical signs of the affected dog including pyrexia,dehydration, emesis, oliguria, hematemesis and yellowishdiscoloration of mucous membranes were suggestiveof the systemic disease. Hematological analysis revealedhemoglubin concentration as 9.2 gmIdl, increased packedcell volume as 45% and total leucocyte count as 14,500/III and differential leucocyte count as 90% neutrophils,8% Iymphocytes, 1% monocytes, 0.5% eosinophils and0.5% basophils. The fall in the haemoglobin value'smight be due to the toxins released by leptospiralorganisms which cause damage to erythrocytes (Anandaet aI., 2008).

Biochemical analysis of serum for blood ureanitrogen (BUN) and creatinine showed elevated valuesof 106 mg/dl and 57 mg/dl, respectively. This is inaccordance with the studies of Navarro et al. (1981)who observed increased BUN and creatinine levels indogs with experimental L. interogans serovaricterohemorrhagiae infection. In dogs, L. canicolaand L. grippotyphosa are associated with renaldysfunction whereas L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L.pomona produce more hepatic damage (Brown et al.,1996). The increase in the levels of BUN and creatininemight be due to damage in kidneys caused by leptospiralendotoxins.

Microscopic examination of the sediment fromurine sample following Fontana staining method revealeddark brown spiral shaped leptospiral organism (Fig) asreported by Venkatesha et al. (2006). Dot-ELISArevealed very high positive titers (equivalent to 1:3200of Microscopic Agglutination test) which is indicativeof the active infection by leptospiral species and is notreached by the vaccination. Sehgal et al. (1999)evaluated the lepto-dipstick method for diagnosis of

leptospiral infection and it was found to have asensitivity of78.7%, specificity of88.3% and positivepredictive value of 91%.

Histopathological studies on kidney tissues revealedinterstitial nephritis, necrosis of tubular epithelium,interstitial edema along with diffuse infiltration ofmononuclear cells such as lymphocytes and plasmacells. Fibrinoid necrosis of blood vessels, alveolar andsub-pleural hemorrhages along with congestion in lungswere also evident. Liver exhibited degeneration ofhepatic parenchyma with eosinophillic granularcytoplasm and shrunken dark nuclei along with infiltrationof macrophages, Iymphocytes and plasma cells.Greene (2006) also observed similar histopathologicalchanges in the cases of leptospirosis in dog. Thehistopathological findings further supported thehematological, biochemical and serological findingsindicating leptospiral infection.

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