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Correspondence to Dr Ashtri Bonaparte; [email protected]
Background
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease with a worldwide distribution caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It infects a variety of different mammalian species including both humans and dogs. Within the genus Leptospira, more than 250 different serovars of pathogenic leptospires are recognised, and at least 10 serovars have been associated with disease in dogs worldwide.1 The most common serovars thought to infect dogs before the introduction of canine Leptospira vaccines were Icterohaemorrhagiae and Canicola. In the last 20 years, Grippotyphosa and Pomona in North America have predominated in sick dogs.2
Leptospires are primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with urine. Once infected, dogs may present with a variety of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild febrile illness to multisystemic disease.3 The most common manifestations are acute kidney injury and liver disease; however, atypical systemic manifestations such as uveitis, vasculitis, abnormal bleeding tendencies and pulmonary haemorrhage are also recognised.4
To the author’s knowledge, at the time of writing this case report there have been no published reports of genital involvement as an atypical systemic manifestation associated with canine leptospirosis. Therefore, it is recommended that the clinician consider inclusion of this disease into the differential list when a dog presents with orchitis and/or balanoposthitis. This case is also unique because this dog was infected with serovar Canicola, which is rare compared with other serovars reported in Los Angeles County.
Case presentation
A five-year-old, male intact Pit Bull terrier mixed breed dog from Los Angeles County, California was referred for investigation of acute kidney injury, orchitis and serosanguinous preputial discharge. Historically, the dog had been clinically healthy with no previous medical or breeding history.
Approximately two days prior to referral, the dog initially presented for lethargy, fever and preputial discharge of three days’ duration. Complete blood count revealed neutrophil count 12,600 (3000–11,500)/µl, lymphocyte count 1197 (1000–4800)/µl and eosinophil count 44 (100–1250)/µl; serum biochemistry profile revealed alkaline phosphatase 281 (10-150) IU/L, alanine aminotransferase 107 (5-107) IU/L, total bilirubin 0.05 (0.00–0.02) mmol/l, blood urea nitrogen 7.44 (0.39–1.50) mmol/l, creatinine 0.64 (0.02–0.10) mmol/l, phosphorus 0.62 (0.12–0.35) mmol/l; total thyroxine (T4) and free T4 levels were unremarkable; urinalysis revealed a urine specific...