Tetanus is uncommon in dogs, which are considered relatively resistant to tetanospasmin, and detailed descriptions of the diagnostic evaluation of severe generalized cases remain limited. A 5.5-month-old intact male Miniature Schnauzer was presented four days after a puncture wound to the right pelvic limb. On admission the dog was alert but non-ambulatory, with generalized muscle rigidity, tremors, marked cervical hyperextension, hyperactive spinal reflexes, facial muscle spasms and dysphagia. Together with the wound history and rapid progression, these findings supported a presumptive diagnosis of generalized tetanus, clinically classified as Grade III. Serum collected before tetanus antitoxin administration contained no detectable antibodies against Clostridium tetani neurotoxin. Treatment comprised equine tetanus antitoxin, antimicrobials, multimodal sedation and muscle relaxation, enteral nutrition, intensive nursing and physiotherapy. Needle electromyography on day 10 showed increased insertional activity, positive sharp waves and fibrillation potentials, and continuous spontaneous motor unit activity. Despite patient young age and rapid disease progression, clinical improvement was evident from day 10, and the dog was discharged on day 16, ambulatory and eating voluntarily. This case highlights that severe generalized canine tetanus remains principally a clinical diagnosis, while serial neurological examination, clinicopathological monitoring and electromyography can strengthen diagnostic confidence, characterize disease progression and support clinical management.

Veterinary toxicology is a common field in veterinary medicine, being a science closely related to other clinical and para clinical disciplines. The multitude of toxics and the ability of each organism to respond differently to them, non-specific clinical signs and an inadequate anamnesis can often put the clinician in difficulty when seeking to diagnose. The aim of the study was to highlight the incidence of pet poisoning cases, over a period of 10 years of time at the emergency clinic, faculty of Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. An epidemiological study was performed with the help of the emergency clinic archive, where the files of the intoxicated patients were selected. The data were centralized in the Microsoft Office Excel. The results obtained revealed the sum of 256 cases of pet poisoning in the last ten years (0.611% of the number of cases registered during this period), of which the predominantly affected species was the dog of mixed breed. Also, within the most common poisonings, the ones with ethylene glycol and anticoagulants rodenticides were observed. In the present study a correlation was established between breed, age, sex and the most frequent incidence of poisoning, common toxins and the connection between the periods of the year.