title: Small intestinal intussusception in five dogs with acute renal failure and suspected leptospirosis (L. australis).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This case series describes 5 dogs with small intestinal intussusception and acute kidney injury due to infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar Australis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Small intestinal intussusception was observed in 4 dogs diagnosed with acute kidney injury due to leptospirosis presented between 1997 and 2005. Intussusception was diagnosed at initial presentation or later during hospitalization. An additional dog fulfilling our inclusion criteria was presented to a small animal specialty clinic nearby and was included. Upon admission, all dogs were severely azotemic and thrombocytopenic. All 5 dogs showed the strongest microscopic agglutination test serology reaction to L. interrogans serovar Australis. Two dogs survived with no apparent residual renal damage, 1 survived with subsequent mild chronic kidney disease, and 2 dogs were euthanized at the owners' request due to a guarded prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intussusception can occur or may be seen in dogs with leptospirosis due to L. interrogans serovar Australis and patients should be monitored closely for this potential complication. As all 5 dogs described in this case series showed the highest titer for L. interrogans serovar Australis, these precautions may be especially applied in geographic areas where this particular serovar is seen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Division of Small Animal Internal MedicineDepartment of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Division of Radiology,Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, CH-3001 Berne, Switzerland; School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803Tierärztliches Überweisungszentrum (TÜZ), Tenniken 4456, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schweighauser
authors.forename: Iwan A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Burgener
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaschen
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luckschander
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasler
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Francey
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D007443:Intussusception / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male
keywords: gastrointestinal motility disorder; kidney