Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with liver cysts and vomiting diagnosed with rare hydatid disease
By Heier, A et al.·Published in Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde·2007·Universitä·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: [A case of alveolar hydatid disease in a dog: domestic animals as rare incidental intermediate hosts for Echinococcus multilocularis].
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old male Labrador retriever was brought to the vet because he had ongoing diarrhea that didn't respond to treatment, along with vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, and a mild fever. Blood tests showed anemia and signs of infection, and an ultrasound revealed a severely enlarged liver with cysts. A biopsy confirmed that these cysts were caused by a rare parasitic infection called alveolar hydatid disease, which is linked to a specific tapeworm. The dog’s condition is unusual but highlights the need for vets to consider this diagnosis in young dogs with liver issues.
People also search for: dog diarrhea vomiting lethargy · Labrador liver disease symptoms · Echinococcus multilocularis in dogs
Abstract
A 2-years old male Labrador retriever dog was presented with intermittent therapy-resistant diarrhoea, accompanied by vomiting, inappetence, apathy, and mild fever. The blood analysis showed an anaemia, neutrophilia, eosinophilia, and increased liver enzymes. Abdominal palpation was slightly painful. X-rays and echography revealed a severely enlarged liver with multiple cavernous structures. Histopathologic examination of liver biopsies showed a severe chronic granulomatous hepatitis with numerous parasitic cysts. Morphology of the cysts was compatible with the metacestode stage of Echinococcus multilocularis. The dog was only 2-years old at the time of diagnosis. Although alveolar hydatid disease of the liver is rare in dogs, it should be envisaged as a possible differential diagnosis in cases of space-occupying processes in the liver, even in young animals, as the incubation period of this disease in the dog can be considerably shorter than in humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17410970/