Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Hepatozoon canis , a fortuitous or pathogenic agent in canine dermatology: a review of three cases

2002; Wiley; Volume: 13; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1046/j.1365-3164.2002.00298_24.x

1365-3164

B. Hubert, Jean-Pierre Beaufils, Fabrizio Fabbrini, J. P. Magnol,

Nail Diseases and Treatments

The role played by Hepatozoon canis is subject to considerable discussion, as its presence does not consistently appear to be pathogenic. Should the pathology be severe, blood samples or medullary specimens enable the parasite to be isolated, either on its own or associated with other parasitic agents such as Ehrlichia canis . To identify it in a dermatological context is a much rarer occurrence. A description is provided of three cases in which the search for an underlying cause of disease revealed the presence of the parasite; the role of the parasite in the process was unclear. A 9‐year‐old Beauceron dog did not recover from a case of oral papillomatosis. A loss of weight, generalized adenomegaly and splenomegaly completed the clinical picture. The myelogram showed that H. canis gametocytes were present. Therapy with imidocarb and toltrazuril neither improved the dog’s general condition nor did it have a clinical impact on the oral papillomatosis. An 11‐year‐old Beauceron bitch was examined for pyoderma on the foreleg and a hind limb digit. Antibiotic treatment did not produce a clinical cure. Two weeks later, cytological examination of exudates revealed the presence of two H. canis gametocytes. The patient’s condition was improved by the administration of imidocarb and doxycycline. A 10‐year‐old poodle dog exhibited numerous ulcers, and on histological examination of tissue biopsies and the cutaneous slides, Leishmania canis and H. canis were identified. There was no clinical response to treatment. H. canis should be considered where there are unusual manifestations of skin diseases and lack of response to appropriate therapy.