Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with liver infection by Enterocytozoon bieneusi during immune
By Wolfer, L A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2023·Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Biliary Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in a dog under immunomodulatory therapy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old female spayed Labrador retriever was brought in for severe weight loss after starting treatment for a brain infection. Tests showed liver issues and an enlarged gallbladder, leading to further examination of her bile, which revealed an infection caused by a parasite called Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Initially, she was treated with albendazole, but this had to be stopped due to a serious drop in her white blood cell count. The treatment was switched to fenbendazole, and the dog fully recovered.
People also search for: dog weight loss after medication · Labrador liver problems · Enterocytozoon bieneusi treatment for dogs
Abstract
An 8-year-old female spayed Labrador retriever was presented for the evaluation of severe weight loss 10 weeks after starting an immunomodulatory treatment, including prednisolone and cyclosporine, for meningoencephalitis of unknown origin. Plasma biochemistry analysis showed mild to moderate increases in liver enzyme activities and a moderate decrease in urea concentration. Abdominal ultrasound revealed mild hepatomegaly and a large gall bladder with unremarkable wall and content. Cholecystocentesis was performed and bile was examined both cytologically and by molecular methods, which revealed the presence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi. Treatment was initiated with albendazole but was discontinued due to the development of severe neutropenia. The medical management was subsequently changed to fenbendazole and the dog made a complete recovery. This report describes the first case of clinical manifestation and successful treatment of biliary E. bieneusi infection in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37017013/