Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Peritoneal larval cestodiasis in dogs diagnosis and treatment
By Carta, Silvia et al.·Published in Parasitology research·2021·Laboratorio di Parassitologia, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical forms of peritoneal larval cestodiasis by Mesocestoides spp. in dogs: diagnosis, treatment and long term follow-up.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs were brought in with swollen bellies, which turned out to be caused by a rare parasitic infection from Mesocestoides larvae. After thorough examinations, including ultrasounds and surgery, the dogs received treatments with either fenbendazole or praziquantel, both of which are medications used to kill parasites. The study found that high doses of fenbendazole were the most effective, but unfortunately, there is still no treatment that completely eliminates the infection or prevents it from coming back. Ongoing research is needed to find better treatment options for this serious condition.
People also search for: dog swollen belly causes · Mesocestoides infection treatment · fenbendazole for dogs
Abstract
Canine peritoneal larval cestodiasis (CPLC) is a little-known parasitological infestation of the peritoneal cavity of wild and domestic carnivores with Mesocestoides spp. larvae. While adult Mesocestoides tapeworms reside within the small intestine, the larvae occasionally penetrate the host's intestinal wall, causing a potentially life-threatening peritonitis. Severity of infection as well as the host response influences the prognosis significantly, and early diagnosis and treatment are essential. However, due to the lack of specific symptoms, this condition is underdiagnosed and, furthermore, no clear effective treatment has yet been described. The aim of this study is therefore to report two clinical cases of CPLC in dogs and to illustrate their clinical presentation and follow-up to serve as a reference for clinicians and researchers alike. Both animals were presented with abdominal distention as their main complaint. They underwent clinical examination, abdominal ultrasonography, abdominocentesis, and laparotomy followed by biochemical, cytological, parasitological, and molecular examination of the collected samples. After surgical lavage, the dogs received anthelmintic treatment with either fenbendazole (FBZ) or praziquantel (PZQ). Overall, timely and prolonged administration of high doses of FBZ seems to be the most effective treatment method. Irrespective, to date, no treatment capable of complete eradication of the infection and prevention of recurrence of disease has been found. In conclusion, further investigation into appropriate treatment plans as well as diagnostic development is needed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33686502/