Emergence of a thrombocytopenic disorder in a group of working dogs of Sri Lanka Air force

Abstract

The complicated clinical manifestations of canine piroplasmosis with severe thrombocytopenia have been occasionally observed in dogs. This clinical communication describes an acute clinical condition characterized by severe bleeding tendencies with high fatality rates in five groups of working dogs of the Sri Lanka Air Force. It is a multifactorial condition in which known hemoparasites in dogs in Sri Lanka and Anaplasma possibly play roles, requiring further investigation. The clinical condition was successfully managed with a combination of oral antibiotics and prednisolone.