Naturally occurring tularemia in a dog.
A 4-year-old spayed female Irish Setter was examined because of acute onset of lethargy, anorexia, and weakness. The dog had eaten an adult rabbit 36 hours earlier. Tularemia was suspected because of the rabbit exposure; however, other common diseases characterized by fever, malaise, and lymphadenopathy of acute onset were also considered (ie, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever). The dog was treated with doxycycline (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h) for 14 days as well as supportive treatment with a balanced electrolyte solution (lactated Ringer's solution [200 mL, SC]). The diagnosis was first established by results of bacteriologic cultures of fine-needle aspirates obtained from lymph nodes and confirmed by results of ELISA and a polymerase chain reaction assay Successful and timely antemortem diagnosis of tularemia in dogs can be accomplished through lymph node aspiration and bacteriologic culture.
Meinkoth
Katrina R
KR
Office of Admissions and Recruitment, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Morton
Rebecca J
RJ
Meinkoth
James H
JH
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D011817:Rabbits; D014406:Tularemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline