Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with infected ulcerated lump under jaw caused by Rhodococcus equi
By Hylton, Penny K et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2006·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Intracellular success: cytologic findings in an ulcerated submandibular mass from a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat had a painful, ulcerated lump under his jaw that didn’t get better with antibiotics. Tests showed that the lump was infected with a specific type of bacteria called Rhodococcus equi, which can live inside immune cells. After starting treatment with rifampin and clarithromycin, the cat's condition improved, and the lump healed. If your cat has a similar issue, it’s important to discuss this type of infection with your vet.
People also search for: cat lump under jaw · cat ulcerated mass treatment · cat bacterial infection under skin
Abstract
A 1-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat had an ulcerated, proliferative lesion in the submandibular area that did not respond to antibiotic therapy. Impression smears from the mass revealed septic pyogranulomatous inflammation, with large numbers of pleomorphic bacteria observed intracellularly within macrophages as well as neutrophils. Bacterial culture was consistent with a diagnosis of Rhodococcus equi, a facultative intracellular coccobacillus capable of replicating within macrophages. The cat's lesion resolved after treatment with rifampin and clarithromycin. R equi should be considered as a differential diagnosis when coccobacilli are recognized within macrophages in cytologic samples.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16967424/