Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog in Ontario with liver cysts diagnosed as alveolar echinococcosis
By Pinard, Christopher et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2019·Department of Clinical Studies (Pinard, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Alveolar echinococcosis in an Ontario dog resembling an hepatic abscess.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A boxer dog was brought to the vet because it was lethargic, vomiting, and had a painful belly. An ultrasound showed multiple cysts in the abdomen, and surgery revealed three masses in the liver that initially looked like abscesses. However, further testing showed these were actually caused by a parasitic infection called alveolar echinococcosis. The dog was treated with a medication called albendazole, but it had side effects and, unfortunately, the dog's health worsened over six months, leading to euthanasia.
People also search for: boxer dog vomiting lethargy · liver abscess treatment in dogs · dog abdominal pain causes
Abstract
A boxer dog was evaluated because of lethargy, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Ultrasonography revealed multiple cystic structures in the abdomen. Exploratory laparotomy revealed 3 well-encapsulated hepatic masses and abdominal effusion with suppurative inflammation. Collectively, these findings suggested the hepatic masses were most likely abscesses. However, histologic examination of the hepatic masses revealed multi-cystic structures, consistent with alveolar echinococcosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by DNA sequencing. The dog was treated with daily albendazole, but within a few weeks exhibited adverse side effects. After 6 months, the dog's condition deteriorated, and it was euthanized.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31597996/