Diagnostic Efficacy of Certain Physical Examination and Serum Biochemistry Parameters in Dogs with Tick Paralysis

Abstract

Recognizing tick paralysis is crucial as it can be fatal, but no specific diagnostic test exists. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of routine clinical examinations and selected laboratory analytes and to understand the impact of tick burden on the severity of symptoms in tick-paralyzed dogs. Fourteen dogs, whose diagnosis of tick paralysis was confirmed by the ex juvantibus method, were divided into Low Tick (1-4 ticks, n=7) and High Tick (5-60 ticks, n=7) subgroups based on the number of ticks. The healthy group consisted of dogs with no disease history (n=7). Physical examinations and certain serum biochemistry profile analyses of all the dogs were evaluated comparatively. The diagnostic efficiency of all the parameters was investigated by ROC-based diagnostic performance analysis. The respiratory rate of the dogs with tick paralysis was higher than that of the healthy dogs (p<0.0001). The body temperature and heart rate of the High Tick group dogs were higher than those in the other groups (p<0.0001). Capillary refill time (CRT) was shorter in the High Tick group than in the other groups (p=0.018). Total protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and total bilirubin levels were higher in the High Tick group than in the other groups (p=0.035). It was concluded that as the number of ticks increases, the diagnostic performance of the investigated analytes improves potently due to the rate and volume of toxin secretion by the ticks. However, they should be evaluated together with other parameters due to their low specificity.

Keywords

• acute flaccid paralysis
• diagnosis
• dog
• serum biochemistry
• tick paralysis

Supporting Institution

None.

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Harran University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee (09.05.2022, 2021/003 Number Ethics Committee Decision). In addition, the authors declared that Research and Publication Ethical rules were followed.

Thanks

None.

Kene Felci Olan Köpeklerde Bazı Fiziksel Muayene ve Serum Biyokimyası Parametrelerinin Tanısal Etkinliği

Abstract

Kene felcini tanımak, ölümcül olabileceğinden çok önemlidir, ancak spesifik bir tanı testi bulunmamaktadır. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada rutin klinik muayenelerin ve seçilmiş laboratuvar analizlerinin tanısal etkinliğinin değerlendirilmesi ve kene felci olan köpeklerde kene yükünün semptomların şiddeti üzerindeki etkisinin anlaşılması amaçlanmıştır. Kene felci tanısı ex juvantibus yöntemi ile doğrulanan 14 köpek, kene sayısına göre Düşük Kene (1-4 kene, n=7) ve Yüksek Kene (5-60 kene, n=7) alt gruplarına ayrıldı. Sağlıklı grup, hastalık geçmişi olmayan köpeklerden oluşturuldu (n=7). Tüm köpeklerin fiziksel muayeneleri ve bazı seçilmiş serum biyokimya profili analizleri karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirildi. Tüm parametrelerin tanısal etkinliği, ROC-tabanlı tanı performans analizi ile araştırıldı. Kene felci olan köpeklerin solunum hızı, sağlıklı köpeklere göre daha yüksekti (p<0.0001). Yüksek Kene grubundaki köpeklerin vücut sıcaklığı ve nabzı diğer gruplardaki köpeklere göre daha yüksekti (p<0.0001). Kapillar tekrar dolum zamanı (CRT) Yüksek Kene grubunda diğer gruplara göre daha kısaydı (p=0.018). Total protein, kan üre azotu (BUN) ve total bilirubin düzeyleri Yüksek Kene grubunda diğer gruplara göre daha yüksekti (p=0.035). Kene sayısı arttıkça, kenelerin toksin salgılama hızı ve hacmi nedeniyle araştırılan analitlerin tanı performansının güçlü bir şekilde arttığı kanısına varıldı. Fakat, özgüllüklerinin düşük olması nedeniyle bu parametrelerin diğer bulgularla birlikte değerlendirilmesi gerekmektedir.

Keywords

• akut flasid paraliz
• kene paralizi
• köpek
• serum biyokimyası
• tanı

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