New dog disease found from Sri Lanka

A parasitic disease named Trypanosoma found from Sri Lanka for the first time in the history from a Alsatian dog from Balangoda. The doctors are checking on how this Trypanosoma species has been transmitted. It could be transmitted to humans, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Studies, Professor Ashoka Dangolla said.

According to Prof. Dangolla, The Health Ministry will be informed after carrying out  examinations on mosquito larvae, flies, mosquitoes and blood samples of animals in Ratnapura, Balangoda and Embilipitiya aresa.  The people should bring their pets immediately to a veterinary surgeon if they notice anything unusual in the eyes of their dogs. There are antibiotics for the disease.

The symptoms of this disease are fever, severe headaches, irritability, extreme fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, aching muscles and joints and feeling sleepy and lethargic. The dog was suffering from this disease last month with infected eyes. Another similar case found from Mulaitivu area, he said.

According to reports from foreign countries, the Trypanosoma species is transmitted by the tsetse fly, Culex mosquito and Kissing Bug. The Tsetse flies are normally found in sub-Saharan Africa but also known to have been found in several other regions as well. Up to now there’s been no record of such flies being found in Sri Lanka, he said.

Trypanosoma can manifest itself as a skin disease. Arrangements have been made to collect mosquito larvae, flies, mosquitoes and blood samples of animals in Ratnapura, Balangoda and Embilipitiya for laboratory tests. Some of the research is being carried out with the participation of officials of the Peradeniya University Veterinary Faculty, Allied Health Services and the University Health Services, he added.
 

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