Prednisolone associated with doxycycline on the hematological parameters and serum proteinogram of dogs with ehrlichiosis

The objective of the present study was to assess the treatment of dogs with ehrlichiosis (tropical canine pancytopenia (TCP)) with doxycycline hydrochloride associated or not with prednisolone on the hematological profile and serum proteins. Ten dogs with TCP were selected in the Small Animal Medical Clinic Veterinary Hospital, Federal University of Campina Grande-UFCG-PB, Brazil. The diagnosis was obtained by clinical examination, hemogram and immunochromatographic test (with anti Ehrlichia canis antibodies). Samples were distributed randomly in two experimental groups of five animals each (n = 5), named GD and GDP. The GD group was treated with doxycycline (5 mg/kg, VO, BID for 28 days) and the GDP group was treated with doxycycline at the same dose and duration and prednisolone (2 mg/kg, VO, BID, for five days). Four blood collections were made during the treatment period: a base collection (M0), one at 10 days (M10), a second at 21 days (M21) and another at the end of the treatment (M28). These samples were used for the tests erythrogram, leucogram, plateletgram and proteinogram (dose of total proteins, pre-albumin, albumin, albumin, α-1 globulin, α-2 globulin, ß-globulin, ɣ-globulin and C- reactive protein) in the Clinical Pathology Laboratory, Veterinary Hospital-UFCG-PB. Results, that presented normal distribution, was submitted to the Tukey test (P