Clostridium perfringens: A review of enteric diseases in dogs, cats and wild animals

• This paper reviews the features of C. perfringens infection in pets and wild animals.
• In dogs, there are an association between diarrhea and detection of enterotoxin and cpe.
• In cats, studies have failed to find any link between diarrhea and virulence factors.
• In wild species, the knowledge is limited to case reports, making diagnosis difficult.

Clostridium perfringens is a gram-positive anaerobic bacillus that is commonly part of the microbiota of humans and animals. It is considered a common enteric pathogen, but the pathogenesis and the predisposing factors of the disease commonly differ between host species. Thus, specific research is necessary to understand the role of this pathogen, how to diagnose it, and which control measures are applicable. The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge of C. perfringens infections in dogs, cats and wild animals.