Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with Mycobacterium fortuitum lung infection causing breathing
By Leissinger, M K et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2015·Department of Pathobiological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Mycobacterium fortuitum lipoid pneumonia in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old female spayed German Shepherd was brought to the vet because she suddenly had trouble breathing. Tests showed she had pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium fortuitum, which is rare in dogs. The vet found inflammation in her lungs and identified the bacteria through special tests. Treatment details weren't specified, but recognizing the cause is crucial for managing her condition.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · German Shepherd pneumonia treatment · Mycobacterium fortuitum in dogs
Abstract
A 1-year old female spayed German Shepherd dog was evaluated for acute onset of dyspnea. Pyogranulomatous inflammation and green globoid structures were present on aspirates of the affected lung. Impression smears and histopathology confirmed pyogranulomatous pneumonia, with large amounts of lipid corresponding to the green structures noted cytologically, and identified poorly staining bacterial rods within lipid vacuoles. Special stains confirmed the presence of acid-fast bacterial rods, and polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing identified the organism as Mycobacterium fortuitum. M. fortuitum pneumonia is well described in humans and has previously been reported in 4 dogs and 1 cat. Lipid was a prominent cytologic and histologic feature, as is often described in humans and in the single feline case report. Additionally, this case highlights the variable cytologic appearance of lipid, as well as Mycobacterium spp, which are classically nonstaining with Wright-Giemsa.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24788402/