Canine Salmonellosis: Understanding the Disease in Dogs

Key Points for Diagnosing Canine Salmonellosis

1. The source of infection includes sick animals, contaminated feed and water, airborne bacteria in dust, and asymptomatic carriers. Transmission routes are primarily through the digestive and respiratory systems. Healthy dogs can carry various serotypes of Salmonella.

2. The severity of clinical symptoms in affected dogs depends on factors such as age, nutritional status, immune condition, presence of stress, the quantity of bacteria, and the presence of complications. Puppies often exhibit septicemia. Symptoms may include elevated body temperature, depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea with watery and mucous stools, and in severe cases, bloody diarrhea. Dogs may rapidly dehydrate, leading to a drop in body temperature and ultimately, systemic failure and death.

3. Postmortem examination reveals changes such as edema and bleeding in the gastrointestinal mucosa, enlargement and swelling of the liver and spleen, enlarged and bleeding mesenteric lymph nodes, and swelling and bleeding in the kidneys.

4. Diagnosis can be confirmed by collecting feces, blood, and internal organs such as the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. These samples are then processed through a specific sequence of separation, culture, and identification.

Treatment Methods for Canine Salmonellosis

(1) Antimicrobial Therapy: Options include Ampicillin Sodium (0.5 to 1 gram per dose, 1 to 2 doses per day, administered intramuscularly), Amoxicillin (15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, twice daily, taken orally), and Cefalexin (20 to 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, administered intramuscularly in 3 to 4 divided doses).

(2) Supportive and Symptomatic Treatment: This involves strengthening the heart, protecting the intestinal mucosa, stopping bleeding, correcting dehydration, and restoring electrolyte balance.