Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with granulomatous meningitis from Coccidioides infection
By Burtch, M·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1998·Department of Internal Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Granulomatous meningitis caused by Coccidioides immitis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old Border Collie was found to have granulomatous meningitis caused by a fungal infection after passing away. The dog showed signs of central nervous system problems, including issues with balance and coordination, as well as aspiration pneumonia due to a condition called megaesophagus, which affects swallowing. Despite thorough testing, the diagnosis was only confirmed after the dog had died, when Coccidioides immitis (a type of fungus) was identified in the brain tissue. This case highlights that fungal infections can be a hidden cause of serious neurological issues in dogs.
People also search for: dog meningitis symptoms · Border Collie central nervous system problems · fungal infection in dogs treatment
Abstract
Granulomatous meningitis attributable to Coccidioides immitis was diagnosed on postmortem examination in a 4-year-old Border Collie. Clinical signs included CNS disease, aspiration pneumonia secondary to a megaesophagus, and otitis externa. Central nervous system signs included central vestibular and cranial nerve dysfunction. Cerebellar and medullary infiltrates seen on histologic examination affected cranial nerves VIII, IX, and X. Despite extensive diagnostics, diagnosis was not made antemortem. Analysis of CSF suggested suppurative meningitis, but bacteriologic culture results were negative. Coccidioides endospores were identified on reexamination of brain tissue. The clinical course of disease and rate of Coccidioides immitis infection is variable. Causative agents of granulomatous or inflammatory CNS disease may include fungal infection more often than is currently suspected.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9530420/