Abstract
The lymphoreticular response of dogs to Ehrlichia canis infection was studied in immunocompetent dogs (Group I) and in dogs after immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide (Group II) or antilymphocyte serum (Group III). Immunosuppression did not increase the mortality rate nor did it prevent the clinical manifestations of acute ehrlichiasis. Anorexia, pyrexia, weight loss and mucopurulent ocular-nasal discharge were consistent features of the acute infection. Hypergammglobulinemia was consistently observed in Group I principals but was less pronounced in Group II principals and absent in the principals of Group III. A similar trend was observed in anti-E. canis IFA titers although very low titers were observed in some Group III principals. Gross lesions consisted of heavy dense lungs, slightly pale livers, splenomegaly and an increased amount of red, active-appearing long bone marrow in Group I principals. Only the red active-appearing long bone marrow was prominent in the other groups. Hemorrhagic cystitis due to cyclophosphamide was observed in all Group II dogs. Previously unreported microscopic lesions observed in Group I principals were marked hyperplasia of the thymic dependent areas of spleen and lymph nodes, parafollicular splenic hemorrhages, phlebitis and perivasculitis in the renal cortex involving especially the stellate veins and proliferative RE nodules in the liver causing necrosis of adjacent hepatocytes. Group II and III principals had less severe lesions and those that occurred appeared later in the course of the disease..
Reardon, Michael James (1977). The lymphoreticular response of intact and immunologically altered dogs to infection with Ehrlichia canis. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -383678.