Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with widespread protothecosis infection lived over 4 years
By Landfield, Bianca G et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Internal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Extended Survival in a Dog With Disseminated Protothecosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Basenji Mix was diagnosed with a serious infection called disseminated protothecosis, which affected multiple organs, including the eyes and colon. The dog initially showed signs of eye problems and underwent treatment with antifungal medications, including itraconazole and amphotericin B, which helped put the infection into remission for several years. Unfortunately, the infection returned, and despite restarting treatment with amphotericin B and another antifungal, the dog eventually had to be euthanized due to worsening neurological issues. This case highlights that with aggressive treatment, dogs can survive longer even with severe infections.
People also search for: dog eye problems · disseminated protothecosis treatment · Basenji Mix infection · antifungal treatment for dogs
Abstract
A 5-year-old Basenji Mix achieved extended survival with treatment for disseminated protothecosis. The dog originally presented with iridal hyperemia and ocular ultrasonographic examination revealed a mass effect. Histopathology revealed ocular protothecosis and staging confirmed disseminated protothecosis. Treatment with itraconazole and amphotericin B (AmB) infusions resulted in remission. Four years later, restaging revealed recurrence of infection in colonic biopsy samples. An extended AmB protocol was restarted for a cumulative dose of 84 mg/kg and the dog received isavuconazole based on susceptibility testing. The dog was euthanized 4 years and 8 months after initial diagnosis due to decline of neurologic status. Necropsy confirmed the presence of disseminated protothecosis in multiple arteries, multiple lymph nodes, the pituitary gland, thyroid glands, kidneys, colon, cecum, right eyelid, right eye, heart, brain, and periosteum of one bone associated with the middle ear. This report documents the extended survival of a dog with widespread disseminated protothecosis after prolonged administration of AmB.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40859823/