Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Skin itching and hair loss from Dirofilaria repens in dogs and cats
By W. Tarello·Published in Journal of Parasitology Research·2011·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Clinical Aspects of Dermatitis Associated with Dirofilaria repens in Pets: A Review of 100 Canine and 31 Feline Cases (1990–2010) and a Report of a New Clinic Case Imported from Italy to Dubai
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs and cats were found to have skin problems caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria repens, which is spread by mosquitoes. The most common symptoms included severe itching, redness, and hair loss, with some pets also experiencing other issues like vomiting and fever. In total, 100 dogs and 31 cats were studied, and many showed signs of skin irritation along with other health concerns. Treatment details weren't specified, but recognizing the signs can help pet owners seek timely veterinary care.
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Abstract
Cutaneous dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the mosquito-borne filarial nematodes Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens, living in the subcutaneous tissue of dogs, cats, wild carnivores, and humans. Cases have been recently reported also from Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Austria, Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, and the Middle East. D. repens is not widely known to cause chronic pruritic dermatitis in animals. Dermatological signs observed in 100 canine clinic cases were pruritus (100%), erythema (79%), papulae (62%), focal or multifocal alopecia (55%), hyperkeratosis (18%), crusting (14%), nodules (12%), acantosis (5%), and eczema (3%). Signs other than dermatological were conjunctivitis (46%), anorexia (35%), vomiting (26%), fever (25%), lethargy (20%), and lymph-adenomegaly (10%). A case imported from Italy to Dubai is described. The opportunistic role of D. repens might explain the presence of asymptomatic carriers, the concurrent observation of nondermatological signs, and the development of dermatitis in a subgroup of parasitized dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/22203888