| Leishmaniasis is caused
by a protozoan in the Leishmania species. Skin disease, polyarthritis (arthritis
in multiple joints), mucosal disorders (lumps on tongue, gums, etc), damage
to internal organs and possibly bleeding disorders. It is diagnosed by
examination of tissues from affected dogs or by serology through antibody
titers. I am not sure if there is a consistently effective medical treatment
for this condition since there appear to be a lot of semi-effective medications
listed in the veterinary literature.
The skin signs seen with this disease include loss of hair, scaling of the skin, ulceration of the skin on the limbs or ears, formation of nodules on the body and sometimes pustules. Ehrlichiosis causes bleeding disorders and nosebleeds can occur when a dog is infected with this organism. It is usually a good idea to consider using an antibiotic, such as doxycycline, when ehrlichiosis is suspected. |
