Symptoms of Canine Leishmaniasis: Recognizing the Warni
Most dogs infected with the disease remain in a latent carrier state. A few dogs exhibit symptoms such as rough and shedding fur, with excessive sebum secretion in the areas of hair loss, leading to dandruff or ulcers.
In the later stages, dogs may show a lack of appetite, weight loss, weakened constitution, anemia, poor spirits, hoarse barking, inflamed eyelids, nosebleeds, and in some cases, a moderate increase in body temperature, swelling, and stiffness in the joints of the feet.
Diagnosis: A diagnosis can be made by taking a smear of tissue from the affected skin area or superficial lymph nodes, performing a Wright's stain microscopic examination, which can detect the parasites.
Prevention and Control: In areas where the disease is prevalent, strict management of dogs is essential. Regular checks should be conducted, and infected dogs should be isolated and treated, with special care taken for valuable breeds. Other affected dogs should be humanely euthanized. As the disease can be transmitted to humans, extreme caution must be exercised during euthanasia to prevent infection. The surrounding environment should be disinfected, and efforts should be made to eliminate sandflies promptly to prevent their bites on humans and animals.
Treatment: Sodium stibogluconate, at a dose of 150mg per kilogram of body weight, is prepared as a 10% injection. It is administered intravenously or intramuscularly in six divided doses, once daily. A second course of treatment may be necessary if required. Alternatively, pentamidine 10% water solution, at a dose of 4mg per kilogram of body weight, can be injected intramuscularly once daily for 15 consecutive days. Other treatments include neostibosan, dimetridazole, and other aromatic dimetridazole drugs.
