Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with severe thigh infection from E coli treated with surgery
By Worth, A J et al.·Published in New Zealand veterinary journal·2005·Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Necrotising fasciitis associated with Escherichia coli in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Border Collie developed severe pain and lameness in its back leg after a cut on its inner thigh. Over four days, the dog's condition worsened, leading to extensive skin and tissue damage due to a serious infection called necrotizing fasciitis, caused by E. coli bacteria. The veterinarian treated the dog with surgery to remove the dead tissue and provided intensive care, which included skin grafting to help the area heal. Thankfully, the dog made a full recovery after this treatment.
People also search for: dog leg pain after cut · Border Collie necrotizing fasciitis treatment · E. coli infection in dogs
Abstract
CASE HISTORY: Lameness and limb pain associated with a laceration in the inner thigh of a Border Collie dog progressed over 4 days to extensive necrosis of the full-thickness of skin and subcutaneous (S/C) tissue. A successful outcome was achieved using surgical debridement and intensive supportive care, followed by limited local closure, axial pattern flap development, and free skin grafting. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Clinical findings included severe pain, depression, pyrexia and hypoalbuminaemia, and full-thickness loss of skin from the caudal thigh to the hock. Histopathologically, debrided tissue showed extensive necrosis of the dermis, adipose and muscle tissues, and the presence of numerous Gram-negative rods. Escherichia coli was cultured from deep tissue samples. DIAGNOSIS: Necrotising fasciitis (NF) associated with E. coli infection. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: NF associated with E. coli has not been previously reported in dogs. The importance of early diagnosis and surgical debridement is noted and the relevant medical literature is reviewed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16044187/