Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Three 9-week-old Labradors with hind leg paralysis from Neospora
By Jacobson, L S & Jardine, J E·Published in Journal of the South African Veterinary Association·1993·Department of Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Neospora caninum infection in three Labrador littermates.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three 9-week-old Labrador puppies were brought in because they were having trouble with their back legs, showing signs of weakness and paralysis. After testing, they were diagnosed with an infection caused by a parasite called Neospora caninum, which can lead to serious muscle and brain issues. Unfortunately, treatment with antibiotics and steroids did not help, and two of the puppies had to be euthanized due to their condition. The remaining puppy's outcome was not specified, but the findings showed significant damage to their muscles and nervous system from the infection.
People also search for: puppy paralysis treatment · Neospora caninum in dogs · Labrador puppy weakness · dog muscle disease symptoms
Abstract
Neospora caninum is a recently identified protozoan parasite which was previously confused with Toxoplasma gondii. Neosporosis in puppies commonly causes signs referable to parasitic encephalomyelitis and myositis. The parasite was identified in tissues from 3 9-week-old Labrador littermates which showed signs of progressive hind limb hyperextension and paralysis. The diagnosis was confirmed, utilising a specific avidin-biotin immunohistochemical technique. Attempts to treat the pups with clindamycin were unsuccessful. One case was additionally treated with immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids, but showed no improvement. Two pups were euthanased and necropsied. The predominant lesions were polymyositis and multifocal encephalomyelitis. Large clusters of tachyzoites were seen in the myofibres and thick-walled parasitic tissue cysts were found in the grey and white matter of the brain and spinal cord.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8496897/