| Resumo: |
Dirofilaria immitis is a nematode responsible for cardiopulmonary infection in canine and feline. In Brazil, a growing number of infected dogs have been reported, however, most of them do not show any apparent clinical signs, but laboratory changes can be found. The complementary exams are essential, together with the historic and physical examination, for the evaluation of the clinical state of the animal before adulticide treatment. The only recognized treatment is melarsomine dihydrochlorid, but in addition to causing thromboembolism in treated animals is not available in the brazilian market, leading some authors to study alternative treatments using tetracyclines and macrocyclic lactones. Thus objective of this work was to evaluate the hematological and biochemical alterations, besides the efficacy of the macrocyclic lactones in association with tetracyclines in dogs naturally infected with D. immitis. We analyzed 51 serologically positive animals, domiciled, of both sexes, without racial criteria, more than six months of age, negative for hematozoas in parasitological examination, as well animals that have not used doxycycline and macrocyclic lactones in the last six months. All were submitted to parasitological examination, where they were divided into microfilaremic and amicrofilaremic groups. Hematological and biochemical parameters were interpreted based on reference values. Of the 51 animals, 35.3% were microfilaremic and 64.7% were amicrofilaremic. In both groups, was observed microcytosis, eosinophilia and hypoproteinemia without statistical differences. The monocytes were within the reference values, but showed a statistical difference between the groups, with a greater amount in the microfilaremic group, and the thrombocytopenia was found only in the amicrofilaremic group with statistical difference. However the average of the biochemical values were within normal values and without statistical differences between the groups. For the treatment, six dogs were used, from the ambulatory care of the Veterinary Hospital in UFRPE, of these 50% females, all of them of varied races and adults. They were evaluated from the clinical point of view, submitted to the serological examination SNAP ® 4DX, DPP® rapid test for Visceral Canine Leishmaniasis, and parasitological research for hematozoas and circulating microfilariae. The animals were submitted to treatment protocol with Doxycycline at a dose of 5mg / kg every 12 hours for 30 days, and thereafter ivermectin at a dose of 0.006mg / kg once a month for an indeterminate time. Clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment in moments zero, six months and twelve months post treatment. In addition, hematological and biochemical tests were performed at all times and every six months serological and parasitological tests for the detection of circulating antigens and microfilaria, respectively. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the hematological and biochemical values are fundamental because they provide the clinical veterinarian important subsidies to evaluate the clinical conditions, stage of the disease and prognosis, helping to define the best therapeutic behavior. In addition, the results of the treatment protocol showed that the association used led to the death of adult and microfilaria parasites, but only 50% of the animals were negative for circulating antigens at the end of the 12 months of treatment. |
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