Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Abdominal swelling and treatment outcomes of alveolar echinococcosis
By Corsini, M et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2015·Vetsuisse Faculty·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical presentation, diagnosis, therapy and outcome of alveolar echinococcosis in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with a serious liver infection caused by a parasite (alveolar echinococcosis) showed symptoms like a swollen abdomen. Out of 23 cases, 20 dogs were confirmed to have the disease through various tests. Dogs that received treatment, either surgery combined with medication or medication alone, lived longer than those who did not receive any treatment. However, those that had surgery still experienced relapses. The study suggests that both surgical and medical treatments can help, but more research is needed to determine the best approach for these dogs.
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Abstract
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a parasitic disease primarily of the liver caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis, is highly endemic in Switzerland. In contrast to well-established management protocols in people, little is known with regard to optimal treatment strategies in dogs. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical signs and diagnostic procedures in dogs with AE and to evaluate outcome following medical treatment alone or surgery and medical treatment. Of 23 putative AE cases between 2004 and 2014, 20 were classified as confirmed (n=18) or probable (n=2) AE, based on abdominal ultrasound, serology, cytology, histology and/or PCR. Most dogs presented with abdominal distension in an advanced stage of disease. Dogs receiving specific treatment (radical or debulking surgery together with medical treatment, or medical treatment alone) survived longer than dogs left untreated, but no difference was found between treatment types. Survival at one year was associated with absence of free abdominal fluid, absence of abdominal distension and treatment of any type. However, dogs treated with debulking surgery all faced relapse. Findings of this study suggest that in AE-affected dogs for which a therapeutic approach is regarded appropriate by owners and veterinarians, radical surgical resection and medical treatment or, if total resection is not possible, medical treatment alone should be considered. However, studies on larger numbers of dogs are necessary before definitive treatment recommendations can be made.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26537856/