Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog in Slovakia with persistent cough diagnosed with lungworm
By Kaduková, Michaela et al.·Published in Acta parasitologica·2024·Department of Epizootiology·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: First Molecular Identification and Clinical Presentation of Crenosomosis in a Dog from Slovakia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 11-month-old Miniature Schnauzer was brought to the vet with a persistent cough and difficulty breathing, which even led to choking episodes. After conducting radiological and bronchoscopic exams, the vet found lungworms blocking the dog's airways. The presence of Crenosoma vulpis, a type of lungworm, was confirmed through tests on the worms and fecal samples. The dog was treated with fenbendazole, a medication effective against these parasites, given daily for a week. Following treatment, the dog's symptoms improved, and she was able to breathe normally again.
People also search for: dog cough and breathing problems · Miniature Schnauzer lungworm treatment · Crenosoma vulpis in dogs
Abstract
PURPOSE: Crenosoma vulpis (Dujardin,1845) is a lungworm which has spread worldwide in canines and is associated with upper respiratory infections. In a majority of cases, the infections are accompanied with chronic cough. Diagnosis of lungworms is often underdiagnosed and can be misinterpreted as other respiratory diseases. METHODS: The Small Animal Clinic of the University Veterinary Hospital admitted an 11-month-old dog presented with persistent cough associated with difficulty in breathing and even asphyxia. Based on clinical symptoms, the patient underwent radiological and bronchoscopic examination. Bronchoscopy revealed the presence of lungworms obturating the branches of the tracheobronchial tree. Larvae were collected by bronchoscopic lavage and subjected to parasitological and molecular examination. RESULTS: Microscopic detection and morphological identification of the worms removed during the bronchoscopy confirmed the presence of female adult worms. The subsequent molecular characterisation of the mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (cox1) and 12S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)), nuclear (18S rDNA) genes, as well as the analysis of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region of the ribosomal DNA, confirmed the Crenosoma vulpis species. Faecal samples were processed using the Baermann method, which confirmed the presence of the larval stage 1 of C. vulpis. The therapy with fenbendazole at a dose of 50 mg/kg of live weight once daily for the period of 7 days was initiated for the patient. CONCLUSION: This paper presents the first molecularly confirmed clinical case of a Crenosoma vulpis infection in an 11-month-old female dog of the Miniature Schnauzer breed in Slovakia.
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/38951380/