Mediterranean diseases
Leishmania, ehrlichia, filaria
Dogs from Portugal and other Mediterranean countries may carry diseases that do not (yet) occur in the Netherlands, because the climate here is not suitable for the type of mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies that transmit these diseases.
Dogs that are placed through us have already been tested for leishmania, ehrlichia, and filaria in Portugal. It is advisable to test again after about 9 months and to always remain alert for the symptoms of leishmania (despite a negative test).
A reliable test can be done for puppies from the age of 6 months. If the dog is younger than six months at the time of adoption, it has therefore not yet been tested. We recommend doing this about 6 to 9 months after adoption.
Our progress so far:
Filaria (heartworm)
Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) are worms that settle in the heart and pulmonary arteries. They are transmitted by mosquitoes and are mainly found in Mediterranean countries in Europe. They can lead to serious heart problems. If the dog is infected with only a few worms, there are usually no symptoms. Dogs only start experiencing problems from heartworms when they are in the adult stages in the pulmonary artery or the heart. The symptoms can include:
- Poor condition
- Coughing
- Weightloss
- Low bloodpressure
- Fainting and collapsing
- Vocht in de buikholte
- Fluid in the abdominal cavity
The diagnosis can be made through a blood test. Every dog we place has already been tested for heartworm. This blood test detects the presence of adult female heartworms. Because it can take 5 to 7 months after infection for the worms to become adults, a negative test does not prove with 100% certainty that the dog is not infected with heartworm.
The diagnosis can be made through a blood test. Every dog we place has already been tested for heartworm. This blood test detects the presence of adult female heartworms. Because it can take 5 to 7 months after infection for the worms to become adults, a negative test does not guarantee with 100% certainty that the dog is not infected with heartworm.
Leishmania
Leishmania, or actually canine leishmaniasis, is a disease caused by the parasite Leishmania infantum. This parasite is transmitted by a specific type of sandfly (mosquito) that does not occur in the Netherlands, but is found in Mediterranean areas. Some dogs do not get sick, while other dogs can become seriously ill and may even die from the effects of canine leishmaniasis.
An infection with the leishmania parasite cannot be cured, but with medication the infection can be well controlled in most cases. The clinical picture of canine leishmaniasis is very broad:
- General symptoms: lethargy, weight loss, fever, decreased appetite, bloody stools/diarrhea, vomiting, pale mucous membranes.
- Skin problems, mainly on the head (edges of the ears), but can occur all over the body.
- Swollen lymph nodes, nosebleeds, and lameness.
- Kidney diseases, from mild proteinuria to severe kidney failure. Chronic kidney failure is the most common cause of death in canine leishmaniasis.
- Eye problems: inflammation of the eyelids and conjunctiva, inflammation of the iris, inflammation of the cornea.
Adoption dogs are tested for Leishmania using serology, which checks for the presence of antibodies against Leishmania. A negative test (absence of antibodies) means that the dog is not experiencing a leishmania infection (Canine leishmaniosis) at that time.
The formation of antibodies can take about 5 months. However, the dog can carry the leishmania parasite for life and still develop Canine Leishmaniosis years later.
Ehrlichia
Ehrlichia is a parasite and causes the disease ehrlichiosis in dogs. The Ehrlichia parasite is transmitted by a specific type of tick that does not occur in the Netherlands. The Ehrlichia parasite can cause problems immediately, but it can also cause problems years after infection.
It is unclear why some dogs carry the parasite without ever showing symptoms, while other dogs do become sick. Symptoms can include:
- Slow.
- Mild weightloss
- Poor appetite
- Blood tests show anemia with a deficiency of new red blood cells (non-regenerative anemia), white blood cells, and/or platelets.
- Increased tendency to bleed due to a shortage of platelets (thrombocytopenia): nosebleeds, blood in urine/stool, bleeding in the skin (petechiae, ecchymoses).
- Poor kidney function
After an infection with the parasite Ehrlichia, a dog produces antibodies against the parasite. The production of these specific antibodies can take some time. From 7 days after infection, antibodies against the Ehrlichia parasite may be present in the blood, but sometimes it can take up to 28 days before antibodies can be detected in the blood. The parasite can remain in the dog for life. Symptoms may also appear years after the infection.
Source: www.dierenziekenhuizen.nl, checked and supplemented by Dr. C. J. Piek (lecturer in hematological and immunological diseases, Utrecht University)
