Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dirofilaria repens infection causing abdominal fluid in a dog
By Pierantozzi, Marco et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2017·Private Veterinary Practice, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Aberrant peritoneal localization of Dirofilaria repens in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old Pit Bull mix was brought to the vet because he was not eating well, seemed tired, and had swelling in his abdomen. An ultrasound showed unusual movements in the fluid in his belly, and tests confirmed he was infected with Dirofilaria repens, a type of parasite. This case is notable because it's the first time this parasite has been found in the abdominal cavity of a dog. Treatment details weren't specified, but addressing the infection is crucial for recovery.
People also search for: dog not eating · Pit Bull abdominal swelling · Dirofilaria repens treatment · dog exercise intolerance · dog parasite symptoms
Abstract
Subcutaneous dirofilariosis is a widely spread vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by Dirofilaria repens. In the last years, a rise of human and animal cases of infection by D. repens has been reported in different European countries. The disease may be subclinical or characterized by different skin conditions. This report describes an unusual ectopic localization of D. repens in a naturally infected dog. The six-year old Pit Bull mixed breed dog presented dysorexia, exercise intolerance, orchialgia and moderate abdominal effusion. The abdominal ultrasound examination revealed multiple linear tubular structures with writhing and undulating movements within the peritoneal effusion. The microscopic examination of the peritoneal effusion revealed many larvae microscopically and molecularly identified as D. repens. This is the first case of peritoneal localization of D. repens in a dog. Epidemiological implications are discussed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31014601/