Retrospective study of 14 cases of canine arthritis secondary to Leishmania infection. (3rd April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sbrana, S.; Marchetti, V.; Mancianti, F.; Guidi, G.; Bennett, D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of small animal practice. Volume 55:Number 6(2014:Jun.)
• Page Start: 309
• Page End: 313
• Publication Date: 2014-04-03
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; 636.089
• DOI: 10.1111/jsap.12204
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4510

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jsap12204-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jsap12204-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> <p id="jsap12204-para-0001"> <bold>To describe the clinical appearance, laboratory findings and response to treatment of dogs with inflammatory joint disease associated with <italic>Leishmania</italic> infection</bold>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jsap12204-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>METHODS</title> <p id="jsap12204-para-0002"> <bold>Retrospective analysis of case records of dogs with serologically confirmed leishmaniasis and concurrent inflammatory joint disease presented between 2005 and 2011</bold>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jsap12204-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p id="jsap12204-para-0003"> <bold>In total, 14 cases met the inclusion criteria. Of these, five (36%) dogs were presented with monoarthritis, five (36%) with oligoarthritis and four (28%) with polyarthritis. The most frequently affected joint was the carpus. Both erosive and non‐erosive disease was identified on radiographic examination. All dogs had an inflammatory synovial fluid with a high white cell count and a preponderance of neutrophils, and in eight (57%) cases <italic>Leishmania</italic> amastigotes were found in the synovial fluid smears</bold>.</p> <p id="jsap12204-para-0004"> <bold>Dogs were treated with 50 mg/kg <italic>N</italic>‐methylglucamine antimoniate twice a day for 1 month and 10 mg/kg allopurinol twice a day for 6 to 9 months combined with prednisolone in five cases. At the 6‐month follow‐up, eight (57%) dogs showed improvement in general and orthopaedic signs and four (28%) dogs were stable</bold>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jsap12204-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE</title> <p id="jsap12204-para-0005"> <bold>Leishmaniasis should be considered a differential diagnosis in dogs with inflammatory arthritis in endemic areas</bold>.</p> </sec> </abstract>