Showing posts with label Hematology and Immunology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hematology and Immunology. Show all posts
The term fever in dogs refers to a syndrome of malaise (or nonspecific systemic clinical signs) and pyrexia (or hyperthermia). Dog fever constitutes a protective physiologic response to both infectious and noninfectious causes of inflammation that enhances the host's ability to eliminate a noxious agent.
A variety of stimuli, including bacteria, endotoxins, viruses, immune complexes, activated complement, and necrotic tissue, trigger the release of endogenous pyrogens by the phagocytic system (mainly the mononuclear cells, or macrophages). These endogenous pyrogens include interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-6, among others. They activate the preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, raising the set point of the thermostat by generating heat (through muscle contraction and shivering) and conserving heat (through vasoconstriction).
In humans, several patterns of fever have been associated with specific disorders; however, this does not apear to be the case in dogs with fever. In people with continuous fever, the pyrexia is maintained for several days or weeks; this type of fever is associated with bacterial endocarditis, central nervous system lesions, tuberculosis, and some malignancies. In people with intermittent fever, the body temperature decreases to normal but rises again for periods of 1 to 2 days; this is seen in brucellosis and some malignancies. In remittent fever the temperature varies markedly each day but is always above normal (i.e., 39.2 degrees Celsius); this type of fever is associated with bacterial infections. The term relapsing fever is used to refer to febrile periods that alternate with variable periods of normal body temperature, as seen in humans with malaria.
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Canine Fever | Fever in Dogs
Treating fever in dogs and cats
If a definitive diagnosis of fever is obtained, a specific treatment for fever in dogs and cats should be initiated. The problem arises if the clinician cannot arrive at a definitive diagnosis. In these patients, changes in the complete blood count (CBC) usually are the only clinicopathologic abnormality.
That is, results of bacterial or fungal cultures, serologic tests, PCR, imaging studies are negative or normal. If the patient has already been treated with a broadspectrum bactericidal antibiotic, a therapeutic trial of immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids is warranted. However, before one institutes immunosuppressive fever treatment in dogs and cats, the owners should be informed of the potential consequences of this approach, primarily that a dog or cat with an undiagnosed infectious disease may die as a result of systemic dissemination of the organism after a start of treatment.
Dogs and cats undergoing a therapeutic trial of corticosteroids should be kept in the hospital and monitored frequently for worsening of clinical signs, in which case steroid therapy should be discontinued. In patients with immune-mediated (or steroid-responsive) fever, the pyrexia and clinical signs usually resolve within 24 to 48 hours of the start of treatment. If no response to corticosteroids is observed, two courses of action remain to treat fever in dogs and cats.
In one, the patient can be released and given antipyretic drugs such as aspirin (10 to 25mg/kg in dogs and 10 mg/kg in cats), and then returned to the clinic for a complete reevaluation in 1 to 2 weeks. Antipyretics should be used with caution, however, because fever is a protective mechanism, and lowering the body temperature may be detrimental in an animal with an infectious disease.
Moreover, drugs such as dipyrone and flunixin (Banamine), can result in marked hypothermia, which may have adverse effects. It should also be remembered that most non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs have ulcerogenic effects, can cause cytopenias, and may result in tubular nephropathy if the patient becomes dehydrated or receives other nephrotoxic drugs. The second course of action is to continue the trial of antibiotics using a combination of bacterial drugs (e.g., ampicillin and enrofloxacin) for a minimum of 5 to 7 days.
We also recommend this natural balanced real-meat dog food and natural dietary supplement for recovery.
We would love to hear your pet's story. Please add a comment.
If a definitive diagnosis of fever is obtained, a specific treatment for fever in dogs and cats should be initiated. The problem arises if the clinician cannot arrive at a definitive diagnosis. In these patients, changes in the complete blood count (CBC) usually are the only clinicopathologic abnormality.
That is, results of bacterial or fungal cultures, serologic tests, PCR, imaging studies are negative or normal. If the patient has already been treated with a broadspectrum bactericidal antibiotic, a therapeutic trial of immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids is warranted. However, before one institutes immunosuppressive fever treatment in dogs and cats, the owners should be informed of the potential consequences of this approach, primarily that a dog or cat with an undiagnosed infectious disease may die as a result of systemic dissemination of the organism after a start of treatment.
Dogs and cats undergoing a therapeutic trial of corticosteroids should be kept in the hospital and monitored frequently for worsening of clinical signs, in which case steroid therapy should be discontinued. In patients with immune-mediated (or steroid-responsive) fever, the pyrexia and clinical signs usually resolve within 24 to 48 hours of the start of treatment. If no response to corticosteroids is observed, two courses of action remain to treat fever in dogs and cats.
In one, the patient can be released and given antipyretic drugs such as aspirin (10 to 25mg/kg in dogs and 10 mg/kg in cats), and then returned to the clinic for a complete reevaluation in 1 to 2 weeks. Antipyretics should be used with caution, however, because fever is a protective mechanism, and lowering the body temperature may be detrimental in an animal with an infectious disease.
Moreover, drugs such as dipyrone and flunixin (Banamine), can result in marked hypothermia, which may have adverse effects. It should also be remembered that most non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs have ulcerogenic effects, can cause cytopenias, and may result in tubular nephropathy if the patient becomes dehydrated or receives other nephrotoxic drugs. The second course of action is to continue the trial of antibiotics using a combination of bacterial drugs (e.g., ampicillin and enrofloxacin) for a minimum of 5 to 7 days.
We also recommend this natural balanced real-meat dog food and natural dietary supplement for recovery.
We would love to hear your pet's story. Please add a comment.
Dogs and cats fever treatment
A dog or a cat with fever should be evaluated in a systematic fashion. In general, a three-stage approach is used at the clinic. The first stage consists of a thorough history-taking and physical examination, as well as a minimum database. The second stage consists of additional non-invasive and invasive diagnostic tests. The third stage consists of a therapeutic trial, which is instituted if no diagnosis can be obtained after completion of the second stage.
When a dog or cat with fever fails to respond to antibacterial treatment, a course of action must be formulated. A thorough history should be obtained and a complete physical examination performed. The history rarely provides clues to the cause of the fever in dogs and cats; however, a history of ticks may indicate a trickettsial or hemoparasitic disorder; previous administration of tetracycline (mainly to cats) may indicate a drug-induced fever; and travel to areas where systemic mycoses are endemic should prompt further investigation consisting of cytologic or serologic studies or fungal cultures.
During a physical examination, it is important to evaluate the lymphoreticular organs, because numerous infectious and neoplastic diseases affecting these organs (e.g., ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, bartonellosis, leukemia, systemic mycoses) may cause fever in dogs and cats.
An enlarged lymph node or spleen should be evaluated cytologically using specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration (FNA); an FNA sample can also be obtained for bacterial and fungal culture and susceptibility testing, should the cytologic studies reveal evidence of infection or inflammation. Any palpable mass or swelling should also be evaluated using specimens obtained by FNA to rule out granulomatous, pyogranulomatous, suppurative inflammation as well as neoplasia.
When suspecting fever in dogs and cats, the clinician should thoroughly inspect and palpate the oropharynx, searching for signs of pharyngitis, stomatitis, or tooth root abscesses. The bones should also be palpated, particularly in young dogs, because metabolic bone disorders, such as hypertrophic osteodystrophy, can cause fever associated with with bone pain. Palpation and passive motion of all joints is also indicated, in search of monoarthritis, oligoarthritis, or polyarthritis. A neurologic examination should be conducted to detect signs of meningitis or other central nervous system lesions. In older cats, the ventral cervical region should be palpated to detect thyroid enlargement or nodules.
The thorax should be auscultated carefully in search of a murmur, which could indicate bacterial endocarditis. An ocular examination may reveal changes suggestive of a specific cause (chorioretinitis in cats with feline infectious peritonitis or in dogs with ehrlichiosis).
We would love to hear your pet's story. Please add a comment.
When a dog or cat with fever fails to respond to antibacterial treatment, a course of action must be formulated. A thorough history should be obtained and a complete physical examination performed. The history rarely provides clues to the cause of the fever in dogs and cats; however, a history of ticks may indicate a trickettsial or hemoparasitic disorder; previous administration of tetracycline (mainly to cats) may indicate a drug-induced fever; and travel to areas where systemic mycoses are endemic should prompt further investigation consisting of cytologic or serologic studies or fungal cultures.
During a physical examination, it is important to evaluate the lymphoreticular organs, because numerous infectious and neoplastic diseases affecting these organs (e.g., ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, bartonellosis, leukemia, systemic mycoses) may cause fever in dogs and cats.
An enlarged lymph node or spleen should be evaluated cytologically using specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration (FNA); an FNA sample can also be obtained for bacterial and fungal culture and susceptibility testing, should the cytologic studies reveal evidence of infection or inflammation. Any palpable mass or swelling should also be evaluated using specimens obtained by FNA to rule out granulomatous, pyogranulomatous, suppurative inflammation as well as neoplasia.
When suspecting fever in dogs and cats, the clinician should thoroughly inspect and palpate the oropharynx, searching for signs of pharyngitis, stomatitis, or tooth root abscesses. The bones should also be palpated, particularly in young dogs, because metabolic bone disorders, such as hypertrophic osteodystrophy, can cause fever associated with with bone pain. Palpation and passive motion of all joints is also indicated, in search of monoarthritis, oligoarthritis, or polyarthritis. A neurologic examination should be conducted to detect signs of meningitis or other central nervous system lesions. In older cats, the ventral cervical region should be palpated to detect thyroid enlargement or nodules.
The thorax should be auscultated carefully in search of a murmur, which could indicate bacterial endocarditis. An ocular examination may reveal changes suggestive of a specific cause (chorioretinitis in cats with feline infectious peritonitis or in dogs with ehrlichiosis).
We would love to hear your pet's story. Please add a comment.
Causes of fever in dogs and cats
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