HEMOPATHOLOGY AND COAGULOPATHY INDUCED BY CANINE MONOCYTIC EHRLICHIOSIS

摘要

The purpose of this study was to weekly compare hemopathology and coagulopathy induced by Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (CME). Twenty-five strayed dogs of both sexes and older than 1 year from Bangkok Metropolitan Compound were divided into two groups: the first group consisted of 20 dogs were used as a natural Ehrlichia canis infection and the second group of 5 dogs were inoculated intravenously with blood from a splenectomized Ehrlichia canis infected dog. Hemopathology (RBC, WBC and thrombocytes) and coagulopathy (PT, APTT, TT and Fibrinogen assay) parameters were evaluated weekly since the first parasitemia found throughout eight weeks. Naturally infected dogs were initially found with Mild Non-Regenerative Anemia, Mild Thrombocytopenia and prolonged Thrombin Time, all of which slowly returned to the normal levels, while the experimental dogs developed moderate to severe Non-Regenerative Anemia, Thrombocytopenia and prolonged Thrombin Time that gradually improved but did not reach the normal range. Furthermore, there was no relationship between white blood cell count and percentage of parasitemia with duration of infection and other parameters.