Canine leishmaniasis is a serious parasitic disease in dogs caused by a parasite (microscopic protozoan) called Leishmania.
The first most common clinical symptom is loss of hair, especially around the eyes, ears and nose. As the disease progresses, the dog loses weight but not lose your appetite. Are common skin wounds, especially on the head and legs, in areas where the dog is in contact with the ground to lie down or sit. When the picture becomes chronic, this is complicated symptoms being observed in many cases related to renal failure.
The disease does not distinguish between sexes or between breeds
Among other geographic locations, canine leishmaniasis occurs mainly in many countries in Latin America and in all countries of the Mediterranean region, including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
In Spain the regions most affected are those of Aragon, Catalonia, Madrid, the Balearic Islands, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Castilla y Leon. It is observed in other regions but with less intensity.
The disease is transmitted through a mosquito, called the sandfly. Hence, if there are mosquitoes, there is risk of contagion. Danger season begins with the heat, usually in May and ends in September or October if it lasts the summer. During winter mosquitoes remain in a state of Quaternary and are harmless larvae. In the warmer areas of Spain we are almost all year round mosquito and consequently the danger exists throughout the year.
Leishmaniasis causes death in most affected dogs
Leishmaniasis is a disease that kills most dogs affected by it and who do not receive treatment and subsequent monitoring.
If your dog does not receive any protection, the risk of infection varies from 3% to 18% depending on the area. The risk increases if your dog always stays in more rural and peri-urban areas in warm regions of the country and if you are away from home at dusk.
There are several types of Leishmania: Leishmania tropica, major, infantum.
I think my dog has leishmaniasis. Now what?
In case you think that your dog is suffering from leishmaniasis, a visit to your veterinarian who will perform an analytical test using a blood sample from your dog. Depending on your state, also it takes a sample of bone marrow or tissue from a swollen lymph node and examined under a microscope to detect parasites.
The incubation period can vary from 3 months to 18 months. Exceptionally, the disease can remain dormant for several years. Some dogs are tough and, even if they receive bites of sandflies, never show symptoms of the disease as long as they are properly fed and are not under stress. This resistance probably is genetically determined.
The sick dog requires veterinary care the rest of his life
Basically techniques that allow us to detect the parasite (parasitology) or the patient's defensive response against it are used. When you are suspected that an animal suffering leishmaniasis several tests used simultaneously to ensure the diagnosis, among them we can mention sampling bone marrow or lymph nodes to visualize the parasite, serological tests (IFI and ELISA) to control the degree of immune response and the animal presents proteinogram.
In endemic areas of canine leishmaniasis, dogs, routinely are monitored annually by using a rapid blood kits for early detection of possible contagion
The treatment of canine leishmaniasis is expensive and life
If you look suspechas clinical symptoms or your dog has been infected, take him to the veterinary clinic for a serological test. The treatment will be most successful if initiated in the early stages of the disease.
Canine leishmaniasis can be treated but not cured. The treatment only suppresses the symptoms and prevent your dog does not have a relapse later.
Treatment can take several weeks, but the parasite always remain in the dog. Until the end of the dog's life, symptoms may periodically recur and have to repeat the treatment.
The drugs used for treatment are antimonial compounds. Applied by injection and treatment can last several weeks. Some veterinarians also prescribe oral allopurinol. They are expensive drugs.
What is the possibility of relapse? Highly variable and difficult to quantify. It depends on the quality of life of the dog, other sandflies reinfection, veterinary control etc is practiced
But keep one thing in mind ... The earlier the disease can be controlled better diagnosed.
"The only protection for your dog is prevention"
How do you understand the best option to protect your dog it is prevention.
There are still no vaccines that protect against leishmaniasis. Today you get the most effective repellent. There are also vaccines. Check with your veterinarian.
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