Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Fatal angiostrongylosis cases in dogs and foxes in northeastern Italy
By De Zan, Gabrita et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2021·Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Angiostrongylosis in northeastern Italy: First report of two autochthonous fatal cases in dogs and first detection in a wild red fox.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs in northeastern Italy tragically died from a serious lung infection caused by a parasite called Angiostrongylus vasorum, which is often spread by snails and slugs. Symptoms of this infection can be vague and may include coughing, difficulty breathing, or lethargy, making it easy to overlook. This report highlights the importance of recognizing this disease, especially since it has not been well-documented in that region before. Increased awareness among veterinarians could lead to quicker diagnoses and better outcomes for affected pets.
People also search for: dog coughing treatment · dog breathing problems Italy · Angiostrongylus vasorum symptoms in dogs
Abstract
Canine angiostrongylosis is an emergent cardio-pulmonary gastropod-borne helminthic infection caused by the metastrongyloid nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum. Clinically, it is characterized by a wide spectrum of non-specific signs and the red fox serves as the most important reservoir for dog infections. In Italy, this disease has been well documented both in northwestern and central-southern regions, whereas it is apparently poorly recognized in the northeastern area of the country. This report describes the diagnostic findings of two autochthonous cases of fatal canine angiostrongylosis and of one case in a wild red fox detected in northeastern Italy. Reporting cases is relevant to clinicians in order to increase their awareness for the prompt diagnosis of a potentially life-threatening disease that may go unnoticed or misdiagnosed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33678362/