Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog in California lost an eye from Onchocerca worm infection
By Orihel, T C et al.·Published in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene·1991·Department of Tropical Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Onchocerciasis in a California dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old dog living in California developed a serious eye problem, with a large growth around the right eye that required the removal of the eye and the surrounding tissue. Tests showed that the growth contained live and dead worms from a type called Onchocerca, which are not typically found in dogs. It's believed the dog picked up this unusual infection from other animals in the area. This case is notable as it marks the first documented instance of this type of infection in a dog.
People also search for: dog eye problems · Onchocerca infection in dogs · dog eye removal surgery · why does my dog have a growth near its eye
Abstract
A 15-year-old dog that had lived all of its life on ranches and at the Wildlife Waystation on the western edge of the San Gabriel mountains near Los Angeles, California, developed an extensive granulomatous lesion involving the right eye and associated tissues requiring removal of both the eye and the lesion. Microscopic examinations of the tissues revealed the presence of living and dead gravid female worms and male worms belonging to the genus Onchocerca. Unsheathed microfilariae presumed to be Onchocerca species were found in the skin as well. Because Onchocerca species are not natural parasites of dogs, it is presumed that this infection was acquired accidentally from bovine, equine, or other animal host sharing the environment. This appears to be the first published record of patent onchocerciasis in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2063954/