Improved clinical approach to the diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis.

Canine ehrlichiosis is being recognised with increasing frequency in many parts of the world. Based upon a detailed clinical and laboratory examination including a simple in vitro blood culture diagnostic test 373 cases have been classified into seven broad groups. These groups include acute, haemorrhagic, chronic, uraemic, subclinical, carrier state and those with babesiosis. While many of these groups overlap they will assist the clinician in diagnosis and allow the application of specific therapy before the disease progresses to a chronic irreversible stage.