Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pneumocystis pneumonia diagnosed by PCR in a young Cavalier dog
By Okine, Ayeley A K et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2018·MedVet Medical and Cancer Center for Pets, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnosis of pneumocystis pneumonia in a 2-year-old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel using the polymerase chain reaction.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old female King Charles Cavalier Spaniel was brought to the vet because she was having trouble breathing, wasn't eating, and seemed very tired. X-rays showed issues in her lungs, and further tests revealed she had a rare lung infection called Pneumocystis pneumonia. This infection was confirmed using a special test on a sample taken from her lungs. While Pneumocystis pneumonia is uncommon, especially in dogs with weakened immune systems, the vet was able to diagnose it before it became too serious.
People also search for: dog breathing problems Cavalier King Charles · Pneumocystis pneumonia in dogs · treatment for dog lung infection
Abstract
A 2-year-old, female spayed, King Charles Cavalier Spaniel was presented for evaluation of dyspnea, inappetence, and lethargy. Thoracic radiographs revealed a moderate diffuse interstitial lung pattern affecting the perihilar and caudodorsal lung fields, and an echocardiogram revealed severe pulmonary hypertension. A bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, and cytology revealed mixed inflammation with cysts and trophozoites consistent with Pneumocystis. Pneumocystis infection was later confirmed with PCR. To the author's knowledge, this report represents the first case of canine pneumocystis pneumonia diagnosed antemortem with PCR from a BAL sample. Pneumocystis represents an important, but uncommon cause of afebrile pneumonia in immunosuppressed dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29575136/