Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First fatal case of lungworm disease in a dog in Greece
By Tachmazidou, A et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2021·Companion Animal Clinic·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First report of fatal autochthonous angiostrongylosis in a dog in Greece.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-month-old male mixed-breed dog in Greece was brought to the vet with severe symptoms, including loss of appetite, trouble breathing, coughing, and bleeding. Unfortunately, the dog passed away just four days after being admitted. A thorough examination revealed serious lung damage caused by a parasite called Angiostrongylus vasorum, which can lead to a life-threatening condition known as canine angiostrongylosis. This case highlights the importance of being aware of this disease, especially in areas where it is not commonly expected.
People also search for: dog coughing and breathing problems · puppy loss of appetite · Angiostrongylus vasorum in dogs · dog bleeding symptoms · canine angiostrongylosis treatment
Abstract
Canine angiostrongylosis caused by Angiostrongylus vasorum is a life-threatening disease which is emerging in regions of Europe. Thus, there is the merit for a continuous epidemiological surveillance in dog populations. This is the first description of a clinical autochthonous case of canine angiostrongylosis in Greece. A 7-month-old, male, mixed-breed dog was presented with progressively worsening anorexia, respiratory distress, coughing, bleeding diathesis and succumbed four days post admission. Gross post mortem examination revealed numerous nodular fistulated lesions in the lungs, and pulmonary cytology and histopathology showed a verminous pyogranulomatous pneumonia. The definitive diagnosis was based on the morphological identification of first stage larvae (L1) retrieved in the feces by the Baermann method, the detection of the circulating antigen by an in-clinic test and the molecular identification of L1. This report underlines the epidemiological and clinical implications, as well as the infection risks when the index of clinical suspicion is low and the disease is unexpected in a country.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33678374/