Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy with brain mass and breathing trouble diagnosed with amoebic
By Reed, L T et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2010·Purdue University·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Diagnostic exercise. Cerebral mass in a puppy with respiratory distress and progressive neurologic signs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old mongrel puppy was brought to the vet because it was having trouble breathing and showing worsening neurological signs, like weakness and confusion. Tests revealed a mass in the puppy's brain, which was found to be a type of inflammation with amoebae present. Unfortunately, despite surgery to relieve pressure on the brain, the puppy died within a day. The cause of its problems was linked to canine distemper virus, which weakened its immune system and led to other serious infections in the lungs and mouth.
People also search for: puppy respiratory distress · puppy neurological signs · canine distemper treatment · brain mass in dogs · granulomatous meningoencephalitis in puppies
Abstract
A 5-month-old mongrel puppy with a history of respiratory disease presented with progressive neurologic dysfunction. Hematologic results included leukocytosis (neutrophilia with a left shift) and lymphopenia. A mass in the right forebrain, identified by magnetic resonance imaging, was biopsied during decompressive craniectomy. The histologic diagnosis was granulomatous meningoencephalitis with intralesional amoebae. The dog died within 24 hours of surgery. At necropsy, a well-demarcated granuloma was confined to the cerebrum, but granulomatous pneumonia was disseminated through all lobes of the lung. Concurrent infections included canine distemper, canine adenoviral bronchiolitis, and oral candidiasis. Canine distemper virus probably caused immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to secondary infections.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20634413/