Renal function evaluation in dogs with naturally acquired ehrlichiosis, focusing on the sodium and protein urinary excretions and their correlations with the homeostasis, clinical presentation and outcome

• Grant number: 11/03548-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Marileda Bonafim Carvalho
• Grantee: Marcelo Augusto Moraes Koury Alves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Canine ehrlichiosis, a disease caused by Ehrlichia canis and transmitted by the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus, is responsible for loss of life quality and death in dogs. The disease is endemic in the majority of the world regions and is under scientific investigation in many countries. Although there have been many advances on the disease pathogeny and etiologic diagnosis studies, little is known about the renal damage and its implications on the different phases of ehrlichiosis. The present project aims the clinical characterization of some aspects of the renal function in dogs with naturally acquired ehrlichiosis. thirty adult dogs with neither breed nor sex predilection will be evaluated. The animals will be distributed in two groups, one with 20 ehrlichiosis positive animals and the other with 10 healthy dogs, all from the Serviço de Nefrologia e Urologia Veterinária and Serviço de Clínica Médica de Pequenos Animais of the Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia da UNESP - campus of Jaboticabal. The groups will be composed of dogs positive (diseased group) or negative for ehrlichiosis (healthy group) based on serological tests and nPCR for Ehrlichia canis plus the clinical presentation. All subjects will also be tested for Babesia canis and Leptospira spp infection and excluded in case of a positive result. The specific goals include the clinical and laboratory characterization of the ehrlichiosis before, during and after treatment, in combination with the evaluation of parameters related to the renal function - blood pressure, serum levels of urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin and sodium, urinalysis, urinary protein excretion and fractional sodium excretion. The possible influences and correlations between the clinical and laboratory ehrlichiosis features and the parameters related to the renal function before, during and after conventional treatment, will be statistically analysed.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ALVES, Marcelo Augusto Moraes Koury. Erliquiose monocítica canina subclínica, naturalmente adquirida: diagnóstico, aspectos clínico-laboratoriais, envolvimento renal e evolução com o tratamento. 2013. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal Jaboticabal.