Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
D-dimer deposits in lungs and kidneys help diagnose heartworm in dogs
By Carretón, E et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2013·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: D-dimer deposits in lungs and kidneys suggest its use as a marker in the clinical workup of dogs with heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) may show signs of breathing problems and kidney issues due to the presence of D-dimer, a substance that indicates blood clot breakdown. In this study, researchers found that dogs infected with heartworms had higher levels of D-dimer in their blood, which were linked to lung and kidney damage. Monitoring D-dimer levels could help veterinarians assess the severity of heartworm disease and its effects on a dog's lungs and kidneys. This information could lead to better treatment strategies for affected dogs.
People also search for: dog heartworm disease symptoms · dog breathing problems heartworm · kidney issues in dogs with heartworm
Abstract
It has been reported that dogs with heartworm disease (Dirofilaria immitis) show increased plasma levels of D-dimer, a fibrin degradation product present in the blood after a blood clot is degraded by fibrinolysis. In the present study the authors show that, in dogs with both experimental and natural infections with D. immitis, D-dimer deposits in lungs and kidneys are associated with pulmonary thromboembolism and microfilariemic status, as well as there was a clear association between increased plasma values of D-dimer and positive staining in immunohistochemistry. Results suggest that the monitoring of D-dimer levels in infected dogs could be useful in evaluating the presence of pulmonary thromboembolism in the lungs and that microfilariae may induce microthrombosis in kidneys, thus contributing to renal pathology.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22963711/