Prospective study of bacteraemia in acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome in dogs

Abstract

In dogs with idiopathic acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (AHDS), a serious loss of intestinal mucosal barrier integrity occurs. However, the incidence of bacterial translocation in dogs with idiopathic AHDS is not known. Thus, the objectives of this prospective study were to identify the incidence of bacteraemia, to evaluate the frequency of septic events and the influence of bacteraemia on various clinical and laboratory parameters, duration of hospitalisation and survival of dogs with idiopathic AHDS. The study included 87 dogs with idiopathic AHDS. Twenty-one healthy dogs served as control group. To evaluate clinical significance of bacterial translocation, blood culture results were compared between patients and controls. Clinical and laboratory parameters were compared between patients with positive and negative blood cultures. There was no significant difference in either incidence of bacteraemia between patients with idiopathic AHDS (11 per cent) and controls (14 per cent) or in severity of clinical signs, laboratory parameters, duration of hospitalisation or mortality between blood culture-positive and culture-negative dogs with idiopathic AHDS. The results of this study suggest that the incidence of bacteraemia in dogs with idiopathic AHDS is low and not different from that of healthy control dogs. Bacteraemia does not influence the clinical course or survival and thus antibiotic treatment is not indicated to prevent sepsis.

Acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome in dogs: 108 cases

“…Four studies about AHDS have been published by the same study group in recent years, and the current study population overlaps with each of those study populations (Unterer and others 2014, 2015, 2011, Busch and others 2015). The previous studies all focus on the potential role of bacteria and antibiotics in the aetiology and treatment of this disease.…”

Retrospective characterisation and outcome of canine idiopathic mesenteric purulent lymphadenitis and lymph node abscesses at a teaching hospital from 2005 to 2015

“…, Goddard & Leisewitz , Unterer et al . ). Because some dogs described in this report fulfilled SIRS criteria (Purvis & Kirby , Gebhardt et al .…”

<p><em>Salmonella</em> Mesenteric Lymphadenitis Causing Septic Peritonitis in Two Dogs</p>

“…Mesenteric lymphadenitis is theorized to result from diffuse gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases such as pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, or inflammatory bowel disease. 2,5,13,14 The responsible bacterial agents are theorized to either come from the skin or intestinal tract, and once in the gastrointestinal tract, small amounts migrate to the lymph nodes naturally to contribute to innate immunity. 15 In the presence of inflammatory intestinal disease, however, a large amount of bacteria can migrate into the lymph nodes or translocate into the bloodstream, leading to severe mesenteric lymphadenitis and sepsis.…”