Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with hind leg weakness diagnosed with neural angiostrongylosis
By Lunn, J et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2003·University Veterinary Centre Sydney, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Antemortem diagnosis of canine neural angiostrongylosis using ELISA.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old female Kelpie developed weakness in her back legs and trouble walking just four days after being spayed. After a thorough examination, the vet found signs of nerve issues and discovered that the dog had likely eaten infected rats, snails, or slugs. Testing confirmed a diagnosis of neural angiostrongylosis, a type of infection caused by a parasite. The dog was treated successfully with prednisolone, which helped her recover.
People also search for: dog weakness after spay · Kelpie hind leg problems · neural angiostrongylosis treatment in dogs
Abstract
A 5-month-old female Kelpie developed paraparesis, hind limb ataxia and spinal hyperaesthesia 4 days after ovariohysterectomy. Neurological examination demonstrated upper motor neuron signs in the pelvic limbs with lower motor neuron signs in the tail. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis demonstrated an increased protein concentration and marked eosinophilic pleocytosis. The dog was known to have eaten rats, snails and slugs. A tentative diagnosis of neural angiostrongylosis was made and later confirmed using an ELISA based on soluble antigens obtained from larval 4 Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Antibody titres from the patient's serum and CSF were 800 and 6400, respectively. The dog was treated successfully with prednisolone. ELISA testing of serum may provide a non-invasive means for diagnosing neural angiostrongylosis in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15080423/