Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Liver infection with Neospora in dog treated for pemphigus
By Hoon-Hanks, Laura L et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2013·1Colleen G. Duncan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hepatic neosporosis in a dog treated for pemphigus foliaceus.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old female spayed Border Collie was brought to the vet because she was very tired, not eating, and weak for four days. She had previously been diagnosed with pemphigus foliaceus, an autoimmune skin condition, and was on medication to suppress her immune system. Blood tests showed her liver enzymes were extremely high, and unfortunately, she was euthanized. A postmortem examination revealed severe liver damage caused by a protozoan infection called Neospora caninum, which likely became active due to her immunosuppressive treatment. This case emphasizes the need for careful monitoring of infections in pets receiving such therapies.
People also search for: dog lethargy and weakness · Border Collie liver disease · pemphigus foliaceus treatment in dogs
Abstract
A 4-year-old, female, spayed Border Collie dog was presented for progressive lethargy, inappetence, and weakness of 4 days duration. The animal had been diagnosed with pemphigus foliaceus 3 months prior and was receiving combination immunosuppressive therapy. Serum biochemistry revealed severely elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin, and humane euthanasia was elected. Gross postmortem examination revealed a diffusely pale tan to slightly yellow, enlarged, markedly friable liver with an enhanced reticular pattern. Histologically, the hepatic changes consisted of multifocal to coalescing areas of severe vacuolar degeneration, numerous coalescing foci of hepatocellular necrosis, and myriad intra- and extracellular protozoa that reacted immunohistochemically with polyclonal antibodies to Neospora caninum, and not Toxoplasma gondii. Neosporosis in the current case is thought to be due to reactivation of latent N. caninum occurring with the administration of glucocorticoid therapy. The severe complication in the present case highlights the importance of early detection and mitigation of common infections in immunosuppressed animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24202993/