Occurrence, clinical and laboratorial characteristics of dogs infected by hemotropic mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma haemocanis and Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum): a four years study in animals attended in a veterinary hospital located in São Paulo, town, Brazil

Abstract

Canine hemoplasma infections are usually chronic
and asymptomatic, and under immunosuppression,
coinfections with other etiological agents, or splenectomy,
they can cause anemia and emaciation, among other
clinical manifestations. This study analyzed the medical
records of 194 dogs treated at the Pet Care Veterinary
Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil, between 2011 and 2015,
subjected to real-time PCR for Mycoplasma haemocanis
and Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum, and
describes the main clinical and laboratory characteristics
of the infected patients. Five males (71.42%) and
two females (28.57%) had become infected by these
hemoplasmas, determining a 3.6% frequency. Among
these animals, six were elderly (87.71%), between eight
and 18 years old, and all patients had comorbidities,
especially Ehrlichiosis (57.14%). Anemia was found in
two dogs (28.57%), and thrombocytopenia in three
(42.85%). All animals with decreased platelet count were
coinfected by E. canis. No correlation was found between
mycoplasma infection, fever, and leukocyte count in
positive animals. The conclusion reached was that in
the population investigated, frequency of hemoplasma
infection was low, and the cases observed predominated
in males and elderly patients coinfected by Ehrlichia canis.