Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI shows spinal cord inflammation from spirocercosis in dogs
By Chai, Orit et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2008·Neurology Department·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging findings of spinal intramedullary spirocercosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs were brought to the vet because they were having trouble walking, showing weakness in their back legs. After running tests, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the vets found signs of a parasitic infection in the spinal cord caused by a worm called Spirocerca lupi. This infection can happen when the parasite migrates to unusual places in the body. One dog had a confirmed diagnosis through further examination, while the other showed strong signs of the same issue. Treatment details weren't specified, but recognizing the problem is the first step toward helping these dogs recover.
People also search for: dog weakness in back legs · Spirocerca lupi treatment · dog spinal cord infection symptoms
Abstract
Spirocerca lupi is a nematode infecting dogs in tropical and subtropical areas. Aberrant S. lupi migration to different body organs, including the spinal cord, has been documented. To date, the diagnosis of aberrant spinal cord migration was made at post-mortem examination or as an incidental finding, during spinal surgery. We describe two dogs with acute asymmetric paraparesis that were subsequently diagnosed with spinal cord spirocercosis. In magnetic resonance (MR) images of the spine, T2 hyperintense lesions were seen in the spinal cord of both dogs. The lesions appeared isointense on T1-weighted images and focal enhancement was detected after gadolinium administration. The MR imaging findings were compatible with focal inflammation, presumably along the parasite migration tract. Gross and microscopic pathologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of aberrant spinal intramedullary migration of S. lupi in one dog, and in the other dog, the clinical and imaging findings were supportive of this diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18833954/