1. “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”
LET IT GO!
“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”

3. ZOONOSES & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
ZOONOSES
&
VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES

4. CASE #9 Toxoplasmosis p.168

5. PATIENT PRESENTATION

6. PATIENT PRESENTATION SIGNALMENT: ~6mth old neutered, male DSH
PRESENTING COMPLAINT: depression, feels “hot”, and difficulty breathing. Cat began to act strange over the last week. Poor appetite, soft stool
Hx: indoor/outdoor cat, fully vaccinated, but not against FeLV and FIV, microchipped, often brings “gifts of mice” home

7. PATIENT PRESENTATION PHYSICAL EXAM Temp: 104.1, HR:220, RR:40, shallow
Depression
Labored breathing
Mm:pale CRT: 2sec
Painful on abdominal palpation
OS: signs of inflammation/uveitis

8. PATIENT PRESENTATION

9. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CBC/SERUM CHEMISTRIES FeLV/FIV Test
Non-specific, variable changes
FeLV/FIV Test
Neg/Neg
Thoracic radiographs
pneumonia
Paired titers
ELISA (although NOT A quick SNAP TEST)
FECAL
See next slide

10. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS PNEUMONIA IS MOST COMMON IN NEONATALLY
OR TRANSPLACENTALLY INFECTED CATS

11. TOXOPLASMA OOCYTS
THESE OOCYTS
ARE DIFFICULT & RARE
TO FIND

12. TRANSMISSION & LIFE CYCLE
EATING CONTAMINATED MEAT
Ingestion of uncooked or undercooked meat is most likely the main route of infection in both cats and humans.
Fecal – oral route
Transplacental route
Cats are the definitive host for Toxoplasma gondii, (coccidia) but several animals can serve as intermediate hosts

13. TRANSMISSION & LIFE CYCLE
CATS ONLY SHED OOCYTS
IN THE FECES FOR 1-2 WEEKS
THE OOCYTS BECOME INFECTIVE
AFTER 1-5 DAYS
TACHYZOITES ARE THE RAPIDLY
DIVIDING STAGE OF THIS PARASITE
THAT INFECTS THE TISSUES

14. TREATMENT & PROGNOSIS
Clindamycin or Trimethoprim Sulfa for 2-3 weeks (may require 4 weeks treatment)
Prognosis is poor for young patients with hepatic or respiratory involvement, but good for the older cat with minimal or no signs of disease

15. CLIENT INFORMATION
Exposure to Toxoplasma is common – 30%- 60% of adult humans are seropositive
Humans who are immunosuppressed should avoid contact with infected cats
Have someone else clean the litter box
Avoid getting a new cat during pregnancy
Have antibody titers checked before getting pregnant
Infection during the 1st or 2nd trimester can lead to birth defects
Cook all meat thoroughly
DON’T PANIC

16. “YOUR LIFE WILL FOLLOW YOUR THOUGHTS.”
THINK GOOD THOUGHTS!
“YOUR LIFE WILL FOLLOW YOUR THOUGHTS.”

17. CASE # 10 Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever p. 173

18. PATIENT PRESENTATION

19. PATIENT PRESENTATION SIGNALMENT: 2yr old hound mix, intact male
PRESENTING COMPLAINT: dog is reluctant to move, has a stiff gait and seems painful, possibly ataxic, lethargic for the last week.
Hx: dog goes hunting with the owner about once month for the last 3 months. Dog is current on HW and flea preventive.

20. PATIENT PRESENTATION PHYSICAL EXAM Temp: 103.5, HR: 116, RR:24
Mild mucopurulent ocular discharge
Mm:pale pk, CRT: 2sec
Animal is somewhat painful and ataxic
Technician finds several ticks on the head and neck region

21. PATIENT PRESENTATION

22. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CBC/SERUM CHEMISTRIES Anemia Thrombocytopenia
SERUM TITERS
TISSUE BIOPSY & FLUORESCENT STAINING
History of tick exposure

23. DIAGNOSTICS & TREATMENT
DIAGNOSIS: TICK-BORNE DISEASE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER – caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a gram- obligate, bacilli intracellular bacterial organism.
This organism is carried in the saliva of the dermacentor tick
TICKS MUST BE ATTACHED TO HOST FOR 5-20
HOURS BEFORE TRANSMITTING INFECTIOUS ORGANISM
Clinical signs occur secondary to vasculitis of small blood vessels throughout the body. Other clinical signs include: edema, hemorrhage, seizures, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and more…

24. DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT TREATMENT Doxycycline Tetracycline
Antibiotics only reduce the number of organisms, the animal must have a good immune system to eliminate them.

25. CLIENT INFORMATION
Blood from infectious patients and from the tick can be infectious
Client should watch for signs of myalgia, headache, fever, or abdominal pain
Keep pets out of heavily infested tick areas and remove ticks quickly. Add tick prevention to the pet’s health regimen.
Incubation period is ~7days

26. CASE #11 Ehrlichiosis pp. 174-175

27. PATIENT PRESENTATION

28. PATIENT PRESENTATION

29. PATIENT PRESENTATION SIGNALMENT: 2yr old mixed breed, castrated male
PRESENTING COMPLAINT: lethargy, labored breathing, swollen neck, and swollen rt rear leg for about a week that seemed to resolve. About 6 weeks later developed bleeding from the nose, dyspnea, weakness, and “red spots” on the skin
Hx: outdoor dog, vaccinations current, on HW and flea preventive.

30. PATIENT PRESENTATION PHYSICAL EXAM Temp: 103.8, HR: 120, RR: 28
Mild epistaxis
Petechial hemorrhages
Edema of the extremities
Ticks found in the coat

31. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CBC/SERUM CHEMISTRY Blood smear Observe morula in
25% have pancytopenia
Anemia
Thrombocytopenia
Blood smear
Observe morula in
mononuclear cells

32. DIAGNOSIS DIAGNOSIS: TICK-BORNE DISEASE
CANINE MONOCYTIC EHRLICHIOSIS, caused by Ehrlichia canis transmitted by the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick)
After infection, E. canis causes acute, subclinical, and chronic stages of the disease
ACUTE: lasts 2-4 weeks
Organisms multiplies in mononuclear cells
Mononuclear cells carry the organism to other organs including the lungs, kidneys, and meninges.
Vasculitis develops
SUBCLINICAL PHASE
Few clinical signs if any
CHRONIC PHASE
Bone marrow suppression
Bleeding tendencies

33. DIAGNOSIS: another Ehrlichial disease to consider
CANINE GRANULOCYTIC EHRLICHIOSIS caused by Ehrlichia ewingii or Ehrlichia equi
Clinical signs associated with Ehrlichia ewingii infection:
Fever
Lethargy
Lameness
Muscle stiffness
CBC: Thrombocytopenia
Blood smear: morulae found in neutrophils
Transmitted by the Amblyomma americanum (lone star) tick

34. DIAGNOSIS: another Ehrlichial disease to consider
CANINE GRANULOCYTIC EHRLICHIOSIS caused by Ehrlichia ewingii or Ehrlichia equi
Clinical signs of Ehrlichia equi infection:
Fever
Debilitating lethargy
Anorexia
CBC: thrombocytopenia
Serum chemistries: Increased ALP
Transmitted by the Ixodes dammini (deer tick or black-legged tick)

35. DIAGNOSIS

36. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

37. TREATMENT & CLIENT INFO
ANTIBIOTICS
Doxycycline
Tetracycline
+/- blood transfusions
CLIENT INFO:
Ticks can be a threat to pets and humans
Owners should avoid exposure to the blood of the tick
The prognosis is good – Improvement often seen within 48 hours
Check pets frequently for ticks and remove them when found.

38. CASE #12 Lyme Disease p

39. PATIENT PRESENTATION

40. PATIENT PRESENTATION
SIGNALMENT: 3yr old castrated male, English Setter
Hx: Moved from the northeast about 3 weeks ago. Prior to moving, owner pulled off a few ticks . Some of the areas have a red rash. In the last few days, the dogs is showing some lameness in the rear legs

41. PATIENT PRESENTATION PHYSICAL EXAM Temp:103.5, HR: 100, RR: 24
Lethargic
Swollen lymph nodes
Wt. bearing lameness on the rt. Rear limb that seems to come and go.

42. PATIENT PRESENTATION

43. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS Radiographs ELISA TEST SYNOVIAL FLUID ANALYSIS
Would be normal
ELISA TEST
Lyme Positive
SYNOVIAL FLUID ANALYSIS
Increased nucleated cells

44. LYME DISEASE
LYME DISEASE is caused by the spirochete Borrelia Burgdorferi, passed by an Ixodes tick
(black-legged ticks or deer ticks)
The tick must be attached to the host for more than 48 hours
Other clinical signs:
Fever
Anorexia
Lymphadenopathy
Chronic flare-ups
Myocardial abnormalities
Nephritis, esp in Labs

45. LYME DISEASE TREATMENT & CLIENT INFO
ANTIBIOTICS
Doxycycline is the treatment of choice for Borreliosis
Treatment may not completely eliminate the organism and some animals may remain permanently infected.
CLIENT INFO
Vaccination is effective, unless dog has already been exposed.
Animal infection should alert owners to the possibility of human infection from ticks in the area.
Use a tick preventive regularly

46. CASE #13 Rabies p.169

47. PATIENT PRESENTATION

48. PATIENT PRESENTATION SIGNALMENT: 4 yr old, neutered male mixed breed.
HISTORY: owner saw dog playing with remains of a dead bat out in the back yard yesterday. The owner brings the dead bat into the clinic in a box and wants to know what to do.
The dog is current on all vaccinations including rabies. He is on HW and flea prevention.

49. RABIES EXPOSURE CASES
The bat should be sent to a laboratory for analysis and rabies testing
This requires a sample of brain tissue that has NOT been frozen.
There is no antemortem test available
The dogs should be examined and handled carefully. He should be quarantined until the results from the bat are known.

50. RABIES VIRUS INFORMATION
Rabies virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal
Bite, open wound, or mucous membranes
High Risk Animal Bite (bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks)
Low risk animals( opossums, armadillos, rodents, moles, rabbits)
It travels up the nerve endings at the site of infection until it reaches the brain where it multiplies. It then enters the salivary glands where it can be transmitted through saliva.
This may take 3-8 weeks

51. RABIES VIRUS INFORMATION
RABIES IS CHARACTERIZED BY 3 STAGES:
PRODROMAL STAGE – people are greatest risk during this phase. It is associated with behavior changes
EXCITATIVE/FURIOUS STAGE- Infected animals may attack inanimate objects or appear hyperreactive. Some animals may appear “dumb”
PARALYTIC STAGE - characterized by ascending paralysis of the hind limbs which may progress to respiratory paralysis and death.
Death will occur between 2 and 10 days from the onset of clinical signs

54. RABIES VIRUS INFORMATION
CLINICAL SIGNS:
Behavioral changes
Difficulty swallowing
Voice changes
CNS signs (seizures, ataxia)
hypersalivation

55. RABIES INFORMATION CLIENT INFO:
Never handle wild animals that appear tame or friendly
Leave wild life in the wild
Wear glove when examining a pet’s oral cavity, esp if rabies is suspected
Promote vaccination against rabies
If your pet bites someone, it must be quarantined for 10 days to observe for signs of clinical rabies
Vaccinated animals exposed to a rabid animal should be revaccinated and observed for 90 days.

56. CASE #14
LEPTOSPIROSIS
On pgs

57. PATIENT PRESENTATION

58. PATIENT PRESENTATION SIGNALMENT: 2 yr old, neutered male, Shepherd mix
Hx: Dog goes with his owner camping and hunting twice a month. Dog is current on DHPP vaccination, Rabies, HW & Flea prevention.
Presenting complaint: dog is lethargic, vomiting, and seems very thirsty.

59. PATIENT PRESENTATION PHYSICAL EXAM FINDINGS: DIAGNOSTIC TESTS:
~8% dehydrated
Temp: 103.9, HR: 100, RR:36
Mm: icteric, CRT:2.5 sec
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS:
CBC: leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia
SERUM CHEMISTRIES: increased kidney and liver enzymes

60. PATIENT PRESENTATION FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS:
Vet suspects an infectious disease causing acute renal and liver failure such as leptospirosis.
FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS:
URINALYSIS: low urine specific gravity
Increase in serum titers
Fluorescent antibody
PCR

61. LEPTOSPIROSIS TREATMENT Hospitalization IV Fluid therapy
Antibiotics: Penicillin, Doxycycine
Antibiotics
Leptospirosis is caused by the bacteria Leptospira interrogans, a spirochete bacteria
There are many serovars of this organism:
Canicola
Icterohemorrhagica
Pomona
Grippotyphosa
bratislavia

62. LEPTOSPIROSIS
The natural hosts of Leptospirosis are skunks, raccoons, opossums, & pigs.
Infection occurs through mucosal contact
(even through aerosolization) with water or soil contaminated with urine from infected animals

63. LEPTOSPIROSIS CLIENT INFO
Animals with Leptospirosis are contagious to humans and other animals
Diagnosis and treatment are expensive
Vaccination is best for prevention of clinical disease, but infected animals can still shed the organisms in the urine.
Current vaccines do not protect against all serovars