Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with Chagas disease heart inflammation in Mato Grosso Brazil
By Luciano da Anunciação Pimentel et al.·Published in Semina: Ciências Agrárias·2016·Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, BR·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Pathological and immunohistochemical findings of a case of canine chagasic myocarditis in the state of Mato Grosso
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in Brazil showed signs of weakness, apathy, and pale gums before sadly passing away. A necropsy (animal autopsy) revealed fluid buildup in the abdomen and around the heart, along with severe heart damage caused by Chagas disease, which is caused by a parasite. The dog's heart showed signs of inflammation and damage, and tests confirmed the presence of the parasite. This case highlights the importance of monitoring for Chagas disease in dogs, as it poses a risk of transmission to humans.
People also search for: dog weakness pale gums · Chagas disease in dogs · dog heart problems treatment
Abstract
<p>Dogs are as considered important reservoirs of trypanosomiasis and play a vital role in maintaining the interaction between the domestic and wild cycles of this disease. This paper reports the clinical and pathological findings of a case of Chagas disease myocarditis in a dog from an urban area in Brazil. During clinical examination, the animal showed apathy, weakness and pale ocular mucous and died shortly after. Necropsy revealed ascites, hydrothorax and hydropericardium. The heart was remarkably globoid with scattered multifocal pale in the epicardium and ventricular miocardium and dilated chambers. Histological analysis revealed non-suppurative myocarditis and cardiomyocyte necrosis. The sarcoplasms of cardiomyocytes were frequently infiltrated by <em>T. cruzi </em>pseudocysts filled with amastigotes. The myocardium immunostained positive for anti-<em>T. cruzi </em>antibody. The presence of Chagas disease in a dog from an urban area increases the risk of disease transmission to man, which renders this diagnosis a matter of significant public health concern.</p>
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2016v37n1p263