Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with scrotal swelling and skin ulcers from Prototheca infection
By Ginel, P J et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·1997·Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cutaneous protothecosis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male dog developed skin problems after being infected with a type of algae called Prototheca wickerhamii. The dog had swelling and ulcers on its scrotum, along with crusty lesions on its body and a runny nose. After a skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, the vet treated the dog with oral ketoconazole for six months, which cleared most of the symptoms, but a scrotal lump remained and needed surgery. Unfortunately, the skin issues returned five months later.
People also search for: dog skin problems · scrotal swelling in dogs · ketoconazole for dog skin infection · dog skin lesions treatment
Abstract
A dog was infected systemically with Prototheca wickerhamii but showed only cutaneous protothecosis. The lesions appeared progressively and consisted of non-pruritic scrotal swelling and ulceration, cutaneous nodules, crusty ulcerative lesions over the trunk and serous rhinitis. The diagnosis was based on skin biopsy findings and specific culture. Microscopic examination revealed a diffuse pyogranulomatous dermatitis and numerous protothecal organisms of different sizes within the cytoplasm of phagocytic cells. Treatment with oral ketoconazole for six months resolved all the clinical signs except the scrotal granuloma which, although it was significantly reduced, had to be removed surgically. However, after five months the condition returned.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9226849/