The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with azithromycin in dogs naturally infected with E. canis, and to analyse the clinical and hematological changes the animals would show. Ten dogs with positive diagnosis for E. canis through Elisa Snap 4Dx test were distributed into two groups, untreated and treated with azithromycin, 20 mg/kg, orally once a day for seven days. In addition to the physical exam, complete blood counts (CBC), smears made out from blood of the ear margin in order to detect ehrlichial morulae and nested PCR before treatment and post-treatment were performed. We found that the treatment was not effective, since the clinical signs did not disappear, as well as there was no return to normal values of the CBC in treated animas, neither the elimination of E. canis from the infected animals.
azithromycin; Ehrlichia canis; PCR; Dogs