Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pregnant Gordon setter with type B botulism and full recovery
By Lamoureux, A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2015·Intern in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, France·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: A case of type B botulism in a pregnant bitch.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old pregnant Gordon setter was brought to the vet after suddenly becoming weak and having trouble breathing. Tests showed she had botulism, caused by a toxin from a bacteria found in her blood, likely from contaminated dry food. She received supportive care at the hospital, and thankfully, her breathing stabilized without needing a ventilator. Within a month, she fully recovered and gave birth to healthy puppies without any defects.
People also search for: dog weakness breathing problems · pregnant dog botulism treatment · Gordon setter health issues
Abstract
A two-year-old pregnant Gordon setter presented with acute onset of flaccid tetraparesis and respiratory distress. Neurological examination revealed diffuse lower motor neuron dysfunction. Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin B was isolated from the dog's serum. The dog was hospitalised and received supportive care; respiratory function was monitored but positive-pressure ventilation was not required. Recovery was complete within 1 month and parturition occurred without complication 49 days after admission. The puppies delivered lacked any obvious congenital defects and development during the first few months of life was normal. The source of contamination was suspected to be poorly conserved dry food. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of C. botulinum neurotoxin B isolation in a dog and the first report of botulism in a pregnant bitch.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25362862/