Haemorrhagic enteritis in a dog associated with Clostridium sp. (abstract)

Authors: Badcoe LM
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 40, Issue 1, pp 34, Mar 1992
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Companion animal, Dog
Subject Terms: Abdomen, Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Bacterial, Circulatory system/haematology, Infectious disease, Disease/defect, Diagnostic procedures, Inflammation, Pathology
Article class: Abstract

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Abstract: Shortly after a dietary change to milk, a 4-year-old female Chihuahua commenced vomiting, developed diarrhoea and subsequently passed blood. Despite treatment with amoxicillin, this dog died 7 hours after the commencement of the clinical signs.
At necropsy, there was frank haemorrhage extending from the duodenum. throughout the intestinal tract and out the rectum. Histological sections of the small intestine revealed necrosis, thrombosis and haemorrhage extending from the villus tip to halfway towards the crypts. Massive numbers of large Gram-positive rods were lined up along the remaining epithelial cells of the villi.
A heavy growth of Clostridium sp. was cultured from the intestine. No other bacteria could be cultured from the intestine. Clostridium perfringens has been reported previously to be associated with haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in two dogs.

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