Immunochromatographic rapid test in diagnosis of canine distemper

Objective. To evaluate the use of a rapid immunochromatographic test, associated with a complete blood count and the search for viral inclusions as a method of diagnosing distemper in dogs. Materials and methods. Nineteen dogs, males and females, aged 2 to 120 months, with clinical suspicion of distemper, were examined at the UFFS Veterinary Hospital. Conjunctival swabs were collected to perform the rapid immunochromatographic test and 3-5 ml blood samples were drawn for complete blood count and Lentz corpuscle investigation. After performing the blood count, the blood was centrifuged, and the plasma was used to perform a second test. Results. Among the 19 suspect animals, seven were positive in the rapid test, both in blood plasma and conjunctival swab material; in two of these, Lentz bodies were observed. Conclusions. The association of the rapid immunochromatographic test with the complete blood count in dogs with clinical suspicion of distemper improves the chances of diagnosing the disease in the acute phase and the test can also be performed with blood plasma, using the same sample sent for complete blood count. The hematological study revealed that anemia and lymphopenia are the main changes in positive animals.