Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Skin sores in dogs with Dirofilaria repens and tick diseases
By Tarello, Walter·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2002·Centro Veterinario Alessandrino, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cutaneous lesions in dogs with Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens infestation and concurrent tick-borne transmitted diseases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 28 dogs in Italy showed skin problems like itching, redness, bumps, and hair loss due to an infestation of Dirofilaria repens, a type of parasite. Many of these dogs had previously tried various treatments for their skin issues without success. After diagnosing additional tick-borne diseases like babesiosis and ehrlichiosis, veterinarians started treating those conditions first. The dogs showed some improvement, but their skin issues completely resolved after receiving specific medication to target the Dirofilaria parasite. This case highlights that Dirofilaria repens can cause significant skin problems in dogs and should be taken seriously.
People also search for: dog skin problems itching · Dirofilaria repens treatment · tick-borne diseases in dogs · dog hair loss causes · canine dermatitis treatment
Abstract
A pruritic dermatitis characterized by the presence of erythema, papules, focal or multifocal alopecia, crusting and nodules was seen in 28 dogs with Dirofilaria repens microfilariae infestation in an endemic area in north-west Italy. Previous unsuccessful nonspecific antipruritic treatments, flea control and restricted diet were recorded in 53.6% of the patients. Both the Knott and the antigen tests were negative for Dirofilaria immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum. Concurrent babesiosis and/or canine granulocytic ehrlichiosis was also diagnosed in many affected dogs. Preliminary treatment of the concurrent diseases was followed by specific filaricide treatment. The cutaneous lesions, although slightly improved with the initial treatment, resolved completely with macro- and microfilaricide treatment. Although D. repens may be an opportunistic pathogen, this parasite should not be considered as harmless as previously thought and its potential pathogenic role in causing cutaneous lesions in dogs should be considered. Furthermore, it has a zoonotic importance as human cases have been reported worldwide.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12358611/