Prevalence of Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin and enterotoxin in the faeces of dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome

Objectives To investigate the prevalence of Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin encoding gene and C. perfringens enterotoxin encoding gene in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome. Materials and Methods Retrospective study looking at the prevalence of C. perfringens alpha toxin and C. perfringens enterotoxin in the faeces of three groups of dogs - those with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (n = 16), those with haemorrhagic diarrhoea from another cause (n = 17) and those without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (n = 10). Correlation between the presence of C. perfringens alpha toxin and/or C. perfringens enterotoxin and Acute Patient Physiological and Laboratory Evaluation(fast) scores, acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea index scores and length of hospitalisation in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome was assessed. Results Prevalence of C. perfringens alpha toxin was not higher in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (43.75%) than dogs with haemorrhagic diarrhoea from another cause (58.82%) (difference in prevalence 15.07%; 95% CI -37% to 32%) or in dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (60%) (difference in prevalence 16.25%; 95% CI -4% to 36%). Dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome did not have a significantly higher prevalence of C. perfringens enterotoxin (18.75%) compared to dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (11.76%) (difference in prevalence 6.99%; 95% CI -18% to 32%). Prevalence of C. perfringens enterotoxin was similar in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome and dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (20%) (difference in prevalence 1.25% 95% CI -33% to 30%). The presence of C. perfringens alpha toxin did not correlate with increased Acute Patient Physiological and Laboratory Evaluation(fast) scores, acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea index scores or length of hospitalisation in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome. Clinical Significance This study does not demonstrate increased prevalence of C. perfringens alpha toxin or C. perfringens enterotoxin in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome compared to dogs with haemorrhagic diarrhoea from another cause or dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea.