Melissa Kaplan's
Herp Care Collection
Last updated August 17, 2002

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Autoimmune Disease in Companion Animals

Compiled by Melissa Kaplan

There has been a growing suspicion, by pet owners and some vets, that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or a condition with a signs and symptoms very much like CFS occurs in companion animals, specifically, to date at least, in mammals. Far from being "just tired" this illness affects the brain, immune and endocrine systems causing a wide range of dysregulations and impairments.

Italian veterinarian Walter Tarello had been seeing a condition much like CFS in a number of different species. He and his veterinary assistant wife both became ill, and were diagnosed by their physician as having CFS. When the treatment protocols they tried fail to work (as is usually the case, the etiology, organs and systems affected in CFS patients varying widely), they decided to do the blood tests on their own blood that they have been doing in their animal patients who had the same or similar symptom complex.

The following articles contain information on CFS in animals and Dr. Tarello's findings.

CFS in Companion Animals
Journal articles by
Walter Tarello
C.P. 42, 06061
Castiglione del Lago
Perugia, Italy

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Horses: Diagnosis and Treatment of 4 Cases.
 Walter Tarello, DVM, Perugia, Italy. Published in Comparative Immunology, Microbiology, and Infectious Diseases (2000) Volume 23 N. 4. [Abstract from CIMID (2001) Vol. 24, No. 1]

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (C.F.S.) in a Family of Dogs: Diagnosis and Treatment of 3 Cases
Walter Tarello, DVM, Perugia, Italy. Accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed online journal, Vet OnLine.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in 15 Dogs and Cats with Specific Biochemical and Microbial Anomalies.
Walter Tarello, DVM, Perugia, Italy. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 2000, Vol. 24, No. 3

Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Associated with Staphylococcus spp. Bacteraemia Responsive to Thiacetarsamide Sodium in Eight Birds of Prey.
Walter Tarello, DVM, Perugia, Italy. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series B 48 (4), 267-281. Abstract:

Chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) is a recognized human illness with zoonotic implications that is rarely described in animals. Eight birds of prey examined between 1992 and 1995 and sharing common symptoms (asthenia, inability to fly, poor appetite and emaciation) underwent laboratory tests revealing immunodeficiency, anaemia, high creatine kinase levels and low serum magnesium levels. Diagnosis of CFIDS was based upon these features. The effectiveness of an arsenic-based medication, thiacetarsamide sodium, administered intravenously for 2–3 days at low dosages (0.1 ml/kg/day) has been demonstrated by checks carried out 10, 20 and 30 days after therapy. The symptoms and the immune and haematological dysfunctions disappeared within 2–4 weeks of treatment. In all patients, micrococcus-like organisms found adhering to the outer surface of many red blood cells, had disappeared at post-treatment controls. Two of five blood cultures were positive for Staphylococcus spp. (S. intermedius and S. xilosus). Consideration is given to the pharmacological activity of an arsenic-based drug in animal illnesses resembling CFIDS.

To cite this article:
Tarello, W. (2001) Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Associated with Staphylococcus spp. Bacteraemia Responsive to Thiacetarsamide Sodium in Eight Birds of Prey. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series B 48 (4), 267-281.

Blood Testing for Pets
As of December 2001, neither Dr. Tarello nor I know of any vets in the US who are diagnosing or treating CFS in companion animals. As with humans, there is no specific test to diagnose or rule-out CFS in pets. Instead, abnormal results on a set of lab tests, along with the behavioral and other signs reported by the owner, are used by Dr. Tarello to diagnose CFS in cats, dogs, and other companion animals.

Available by email is a zip file containing the following documents from Dr. Tarello that may be given to your vets to educate them about CFS in companion animals, testing and suggestive lab results, and possible treatment options:

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) associated with Staphylococcus spp. bacteremia, responsive to potassium arsenite 0.5% in a veterinary surgeon and his co-working wife, handling with CFS animal cases (Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (CIMID) 24 (4) (2001) pp. 233-246. [Full text]. Also available in PDF

• Graphic illustrating how to prepare a blood smear slide for the micrococci test. [.bmp]

• Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Associated with Staphylococcus spp. Bacteraemia Responsive to Thiacetarsamide Sodium in Eight Birds of Prey. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series B 48 (4), 267-281 [Abstract]

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in Cats: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of 7 Cases. Revue de Medecine Veterinaire 2001, 152: 11. [Full text] (Plus two Excel worksheets: catlabs.xls, catsigns.xls)

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (C.F.S.) Associated With Staphylococcus Spp. Bacteremia, Responsive To Thiacetarsamide Sodium In 7 Dogs. Revue De Medecine Veterinaire 2001;152: 11. [Full text] (Plus Exel worksheet dogsigns.xls)

• A Case Of The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome In A Horse From Usa Examined In Dubai (UAE). Accepted for Poster presentation at the Third International Clinical And Scientific Meeting: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a serious legitimate diagnosis. Sydney, 1-2 December 2001. [Abstract] (Plus Word table: horsesigns.doc)

If you cannot find a vet to the testing, the above readme.txt article in this zip file also includes information on how to obtain a test kit, obtain a blood sample, and have Dr. Tarello do the test for micrococci. The test is US $87 without photographs, $100 with photos. Please contact Dr. Tarello directly about testing. There may be some delay before he is able to get back to you as he frequently travels outside Italy to examine and treat animal patients.

Autoimmune Disease in Companion Animals
Do I Need an ANA? Some Thoughts About Man’s Best Friend and the Transmissibility of Lupus
Journal of Rheumatology, February 2000, Vol. 27