SaberVet Canine Leishmania Antibody Rapid Test

Product overview

Pathological Introduction Transmission and Infection Canine Leishmania (Leishmania spp.) is a parasitic protozoan parasite that is transmitted primarily after the the bite of sandflies (Phlebotomus spp.). Dogs are one of the main hosts of Leishmania spp. Leishmania spp. reproduce in macrophages in dogs and cause canine leishmaniasis (Leishmaniasis).

Pathologic process Following Leishmania infection, the protozoa proliferate within macrophages in dogs, causing cell rupture and release of the protozoa, which then infect additional cells. Major pathologic changes include: Cutaneous type: manifests as skin ulcers, alopecia, skin nodules and ulceration.

Visceral form: causes systemic disease involving several internal organs such as the liver, spleen, lymph nodes and bone marrow. Clinical symptoms Skin symptoms: hair loss, skin ulcers, increased dandruff, skin nodules and itching. Systemic symptoms: weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen.

Other symptoms: joint pain, swollen limbs, eye inflammation (e.g., conjunctivitis, keratitis). Means of detection Clinical diagnosis Based on clinical signs and history, especially in areas where sandflies are endemic, veterinarians may suspect canine leishmaniasis, but definitive diagnosis requires laboratory testing.

Laboratory tests Direct testing Microscopic examination: by puncture biopsy of the skin, lymph nodes, bone marrow or spleen, stained and then observed under the microscope for Leishmania protozoa. This method is intuitive but requires an experienced technician.