Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tritrichomonas foetus infection found in a dog in Italy
By Franchi, Roberta et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2020·Tibaldi Veterinary Clinic, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A case of "misplaced" Tritrichomonas foetus infection in a dog in Northern Italy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old spayed female Rottweiler was brought to the vet because she was not eating, seemed unwell, and had diarrhea. During the examination, the vet found a lump in her abdomen and performed a needle test, which showed unusual microorganisms. Further testing confirmed that she had a rare infection caused by Tritrichomonas foetus, a parasite usually seen in cattle and cats. This case is unique because it was found outside the dog's intestines, and the vet will likely consider this in her treatment plan.
People also search for: Rottweiler diarrhea treatment · dog anorexia causes · Tritrichomonas foetus infection in dogs
Abstract
An 8-year-old, spayed female Rottweiler dog, under immunosuppressant treatment for protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) and intestinal lymphangiectasia, was presented for anorexia, poor general conditions and episodes of diarrhea. A subcutaneous mass between the caudal abdominal mammary glands was found. A fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed and revealed the presence of inflammatory cells mixed with pear- or round-shaped microorganisms with cytomorphological features of flagellated protozoan trophozoites, belonging to Trichomonadida order. The final diagnosis of Tritrichomonas foetus infection was achieved with molecular analysis (Real-Time PCR) and sequencing. T. foetus has often been reported as a pathogenic agent in cattle and cats, and rarely reported in dogs, where its pathogenetic role is poorly understood. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case of T. foetus infection described in a location different from the gastrointestinal tract in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33308716/