Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Canine rangeliosis: the need for differential diagnosis.
- Journal:
- Parasitology research
- Year:
- 2013
- Authors:
- Da Silva, Aleksandro Schafer et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Animal Science · Brazil
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This case involves a dog in Brazil that was diagnosed with rangeliosis, a disease caused by a parasite called Rangelia vitalii. The dog showed signs of being very tired, had low red blood cell counts leading to anemia, and experienced bleeding. The diagnosis was confirmed by finding the parasites in the dog's blood and through a specific molecular test. Unfortunately, despite treatment at the veterinary hospital, the dog was very weak and passed away a few hours later. The examination after death revealed an enlarged spleen, swollen lymph nodes, and mild yellowing of the organs.
Abstract
Rangeliosis is a hemoparasitosis that affects dogs in Brazil. The disease has similar clinical and pathological characteristics to other hemo-protozoan infections. So, this paper has aimed to report a clinical case of infection by Rangelia vitalii in one dog, focusing on the need for the differential diagnosis to other infectious diseases. The animal showed apathy, anemia, thrombocytopenia, alteration of leucogram, and bleeding. The first difference was the observation of parasites in blood smears, where R. vitalii was visualized within leukocytes and erythrocytes. The confirmation of the clinical diagnosis was made by molecular test to R. vitalii. The dog was debilitated, and died a few hours after treatment at the veterinary hospital. At necropsy, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and mild jaundice in the abdominal viscera were found. This article draws attention to the need for the parasitological, serological, and molecular to differential diagnosis in order to differentiate from other clinically similar disorders.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23052787/