Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with chronic joint pain linked to Cercopithifilaria bainae
By Gabrielli, Simona et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2014·Dipartimento di Sanità, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Chronic polyarthritis associated to Cercopithifilaria bainae infection in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with chronic joint pain and stiffness was brought in for evaluation. The 6-year-old mixed breed had been reluctant to move and showed signs of pain when its legs were touched. Tests revealed a type of parasite called Cercopithifilaria bainae in the fluid from its joints, but despite several treatments with a medication called milbemycin oxime, the dog did not improve. This case highlights the need for more research on this parasite and its effects on dogs, as current treatments were ineffective.
People also search for: dog joint pain · Cercopithifilaria bainae treatment · dog stiffness and reluctance to move · chronic polyarthritis in dogs
Abstract
Despite the widespread distribution of Cercopithifilaria bainae among canine and tick populations worldwide, this filarioid is currently considered of 'minor importance' in veterinary medicine, particularly when compared to related filarioids, such as Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. To date, only a single case of dermatological alterations possibly associated to infection by C. bainae had been reported in a dog. In the present study, we describe the first case of systemic alterations associated to C. bainae infection in a dog suffering from diffused chronic polyarthritis. The animal had a previous history of reluctance to move and stiff gait and displayed multiple joint pain during manipulation of limbs. No biochemical, haematological and X-ray alterations were detected; microfilariae were observed in the synovial fluids collected from the joints. In spite of the morphological and molecular identification of these microfilariae as C. bainae, the dog did not respond to multiple microfilaricidal treatments with milbemicyn oxyme. The potential role of C. bainae in the pathogenesis of this clinical condition is discussed. Given the potential pathogenicity of this parasite, improved knowledge of this little known tick-borne nematode is warranted in order to assist the development of novel and effective treatment strategies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25037896/