Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Giant red kidney worm infection in puppies under 4 months
By Amaro, Alexandra Anick et al.·Published in The Journal of parasitology·2022·Georgian Triangle Humane Society, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: GIANT RED KIDNEY WORM (DIOCTOPHYMA RENALE) INFECTION IN PUPPIES LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS OF AGE FROM NORTHERN CANADA.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two puppies under four months old from northern Canada were diagnosed with a giant red kidney worm infection, which is caused by a parasite called Dioctophyma renale. One puppy was initially scheduled for a spay surgery but required additional surgery to explore an inflamed area in the abdomen. The veterinarians followed specific guidelines for diagnosing and treating this type of infection. Given their young age and location, the infection may have been passed from their mother or through other means. This case highlights the possibility that such infections could be more common in dogs from northern regions.
People also search for: puppy kidney worm infection · giant red kidney worm in dogs · symptoms of Dioctophyma renale in puppies
Abstract
In this article, we present 2 case reports of puppies less than 4 mo of age at the time of infection with the nematode known as giant red kidney worm (Diotophyma renale). The first puppy was prepared for an ovariohysterectomy that evolved into an exploratory laparotomy. An inflamed omentum was observed, and D. renale infection was suspected due to the puppies' place of origin. The algorithm developed by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the diagnosis and treatment of D. renale infections in dogs was followed. Both puppies had a history of origin from northern Manitoba, Canada. Due to the puppies' ages, the authors suspect that the transmission of infection for both puppies could be transmammary, transplacental, or ingestion of paratenic hosts or that these cases challenge what is thought to be the current prepatent period. In addition, D. renale infections in dogs, especially from northern communities, could be common.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35312004/