FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFICACY OF IMIDOCARB DIPROPIONATE IN THE TREATMENT OF EHRLICHIA-CANIS INFECTION

Three dogs experimentally infected with Ehrlichia canis developed thrombocytopaenia and high antibody titres to E. canis in indirect fluorescent antibody tests. One dog also became leukopaenic. At Weeks 6 and 8 post-infection, the dogs were treated with imidocarb dipropionate (5 mg kg-1 subcutaneously) and a further dose was administered at Week 12 (5 mg kg-1 intramuscularly). Twelve weeks after the last treatment (post-treatment), all dogs had normal platelet counts which persisted for a further 10 weeks until the end of the experiment. The leukopaenia resolved 20 weeks post-treatment. Although antibody titres (<1/5) to E. canis could not be detected prior to infection, titres of 1/2 560 to 1/5 120 developed by Week 6. By Week 8 post-treatment titres began to decline and by the end of the experiment were 5- to 6-fold serum dilutions lower (1/80 to 1/320). Sub-inoculation experiments 18 weeks post-treatment, failed to cause disease or stimulate antibody responses in susceptible dogs. Serology and sub-inoculation studies on 2 dogs experimentally infected with E. canis but not treated with imidocarb dipropionate, showed that these animals remained infected for the duration of the experiment. The results of these experiments confirm that imidocarb dipropionate is effective in the treatment of canine ehrlichiosis.