Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gastrointestinal colonization by Diutina (Candida) rugosa in a 6-year-old Siberian Husky.
- Journal:
- Veterinary clinical pathology
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Randolph, Nina K et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old male Siberian Husky weighing 21.5 kg was brought to the vet because he suddenly became very tired, started vomiting, had bloody diarrhea, and was eating less than usual. The vet found that he was dehydrated and in pain when his belly was touched. Blood tests showed signs of inflammation and gastrointestinal (GI) disease. Despite receiving supportive care, he continued to refuse food, so the vet performed an upper GI endoscopy, which showed unusual dark areas in his stomach. A biopsy revealed a lot of yeast that looked like Candida, and further testing identified it as Diutina rugosa. After starting treatment with fluconazole, the dog's condition improved, and he was sent home, with follow-up tests showing no more signs of the yeast.
Abstract
A 6-year-old 21.5 kg castrated male Siberian Husky was presented for acute onset of lethargy, vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, and inappetence. Physical examination revealed marked discomfort upon abdominal palpation and 5%-7% dehydration. The CBC and biochemical profile revealed changes consistent with mild to moderate inflammation, dehydration, and gastrointestinal (GI) disease. Despite aggressive gastrointestinal support, anorexia persisted, and an upper GI endoscopy was performed in conjunction with esophagostomy tube placement. Endoscopy revealed abnormal gastric mucosa characterized by moderately well-demarcated areas of blue-black discoloration. Impression smears of a gastric biopsy revealed abundant extracellular yeasts with morphology most consistent with Candida spp. and frequent extracellular cocci. Similar yeast and bacteria, in lower numbers, were observed on cytologic analysis of a direct smear of the rectal mucosa. A rectal swab submitted for fungal culture yielded pure growth of fungal yeasts identified as Diutina (formerly Candida) rugosa by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The dog's clinical signs improved with fluconazole, and he was discharged. Follow-up fungal culture of a rectal swab showed no growth of D. rugosa. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report that describes the clinical, hematologic, cytologic, and gross findings of enteric colonization by D. rugosa in a dog.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38418373/