Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with chest and belly infection from staph gallbladder infection
By Mattavelli, Clara et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2024·Department of Clinical Science and Services, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Bicavitary septic effusion associated with staphylococcal cholecystitis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought to the vet with a swollen belly and severe breathing problems. Tests revealed he had infections in his chest and abdomen, along with an infected gallbladder caused by a bacteria called Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. The vet performed surgery to drain the fluids and placed tubes to help with breathing, along with giving him antibiotics and supportive care. After a week in the hospital, the dog was sent home and continued to improve, eventually stopping antibiotics four weeks later. Later, he was diagnosed with a hormone condition called hyperadrenocorticism, which may have made him more prone to infections.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · dog abdominal swelling · Staphylococcus infection treatment in dogs · hyperadrenocorticism in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of concurrent septic pyothorax, peritonitis, and cholecystitis due to Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in a dog. CASE SUMMARY: A 10-year-old neutered male, medium-sized, mixed-breed dog presented with an acute abdomen. Initial investigations found the presence of a septic pyothorax, septic peritonitis, and bacterial cholecystitis. Exploratory celiotomy did not identify the source of infection, and no macroscopic communication between pleural and peritoneal space was detected. An abdominal Jackson-Pratt drain and bilateral small-bore thoracostomy tubes were placed for further management, with the dog receiving antimicrobial therapy and intensive supportive care. Subsequently, microbiological cultures confirmed scant growth of S. pseudintermedius in bile, pleural, and peritoneal fluid. The dog was discharged after 1 week of hospitalization. Antimicrobial therapy was discontinued 4 weeks after discharge due to an improvement of clinical signs and normalization of C-reactive protein concentration. A diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism was made 6 weeks after discharge, and appropriate therapy was initiated. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: Septic peritonitis and septic pyothorax are both common life-threatening conditions in veterinary medicine. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing septic bicavitary effusion associated with a biliary staphylococcal infection in a dog. The exact mechanism by which the infection spread remains unclear, but hematogenous or lymphatic routes are considered the most probable. However, the presence of microscopic diaphragmatic defects and an anicteric gallbladder rupture cannot completely be excluded. The concurrent hyperadrenocorticism may have also contributed to an immunocompromised state, predisposing the dog to the development of infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39494811/