Serum biochemistry alterations in canine leptospirosis

Abstract

Serim biochemistry abnormalities were studied in naturally occuring leptospirosis in dogs in order to establish an useful profile for diagnostic purpose. The dogs were grouped according to clinical manifestations. Group I was comprised by 65 uremic and icteric dogs, reagents to serovar copenhagem and/or icterohaemorrhagiae and the second group by 15 non icteric but uremic dogs, most of them reagents to serovar camcola. The third group was comprised by 8 asymptomatic dogs that had been in contact with group I or group II dogs and presented antileptospira agglutinins against serovar icterohaemorrhagiae, copenhageni or camcola. Biochemical abnormalities observed were related to injured organs such as liver or kidney with no correlation to the infectious serovar. Thus, yperazotemia and hypercreatinemia were found in dogs with renal injury in both group I and II whereas hyperbiIirrubinemia and hyperphosphatasemia were signs of intrahepatic cholestasis due to an hepatic injury. Normal or mild increase in serum ALT and AST levels revealed minimal hepatocellular necrosis with none or almost none release of intracytoplasmatic enzymes to the blood stream and allowed to differentiate leptospirosis from other inflanmatory liver diseases.