Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Monoclonal gammopathy linked to heartworm disease in a dog
By de Caprariis, Donato et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2009·Department of Veterinary Public Health and Animal Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Monoclonal gammopathy associated with heartworm disease in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old female mixed Yorkshire terrier was brought to the vet because she was fainting, weak, not eating well, and losing weight. Tests showed she had heartworm disease, which was confirmed by finding heartworm larvae in her blood and a positive heartworm test. The vet also found an unusual protein in her blood linked to the heartworm infection. After treating her with medications to kill the adult heartworms and the larvae, her symptoms improved, and the abnormal protein levels decreased.
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Abstract
A 12-year-old, intact female, mixed Yorkshire terrier was evaluated for syncopal episodes, weakness, decreased appetite, and weight loss. Heartworm disease was diagnosed based on evidence of circulating microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis on direct examination of blood smears and a positive SNAP heartworm antigen test. An immunoglobulin G (IgG) gammopathy, demonstrated by serum protein electrophoresis, was associated with heartworm disease in this dog. Response to treatment with both an adulticide and the microfilaricide ivermectin included remission of clinical signs and a decrease in the monoclonal gammopathy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an IgG gammopathy associated with heartworm disease in the dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19887388/