Leptospirosis in a Bull terrier. Case Report

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by infection with any of the more than 250 serovars of a corkscrew-shaped gram negative bacteria calledLeptospira. Leptospirosis in dogs was first described in 1899 and has recently received attention as a cause of hepatic and renal disease. The disease in dogs can be acute, chronic or subacute, being the most frequent acute infection which is characterized by the presence of anemia, jaundice, diarrhea, fever and dehydration affecting the renal and hepatic systems. The treatment in dogs focuses in avoiding irreparable damage caused by Leptospira, but does not guarantee that the patient recovers completely and that is why vaccination plays an important role in disease prevention. This article aims to analyze and discuss a clinical case of the condition, its course and diagnostic and therapeutic approach.