2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Ten dogs were included in the study. Age at presentation ranged from 2.8 years to 10 years (median 8.5 years). Six out of ten were spaniels: breeds represented included Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (n = 1), Labrador Retriever (n = 2), Cocker Spaniel (n = 2), English Springer Spaniel (n = 3), West Highland White Terrier (n = 1) and Jack Russell Terrier (n = 1). Eight of the cases were female and two were male. Clinical signs varied but most commonly included anorexia (n = 6), abdominal pain (n = 2), vomiting (n = 2), lethargy (n = 4), gingivitis (n = 2), pyrexia (n = 3), and polydipsia/polyuria (n = 2). Two dogs were siblings that lived together and developed clinical signs at the same time. Three dogs were asymptomatic but had persistent elevations in liver enzymes. Mild thrombocytopenia was reported in four cases and all cases had an elevation in liver enzymes. Histopathology of the liver documented chronic hepatitis in all cases with granulomatous hepatitis in seven cases, one of which showed sheets of macrophages, and three cases demonstrated lymphoplasmacytic/ neutrophilic hepatitis. Three dogs underwent repeat liver biopsy 3, 15 and 16 months following initial diagnosis, respectively. Fibrosis and vacuolar hepatopathy was diagnosed in the first case and cirrhosis in the second case (both of these cases remained positive for leptospira by FISH). The case re-biopsied at 16 months was diagnosed with granulomatous hepatitis and had become negative by FISH. One patient with a histopathological diagnosis of neutrophilic, lymphoplasmacytic gingivitis and vasculitis demonstrated the presence of leptospira by FISH. Leptospirosis speciation in one case of granulomatous hepatitis documented the presence of Leptospira interrogans.