Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy brain cyst and inflammation linked to canine parvovirus type 2
By Marenzoni, M L et al.·Published in Journal of comparative pathology·2019·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Porencephaly and Periventricular Encephalitis in a 4-month-old Puppy: Detection of Canine Parvovirus Type 2 and Potential Role in Brain Lesions.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-month-old puppy died after showing signs of brain issues a few days following a suspected case of parvovirus infection, which typically causes severe gastrointestinal problems. Upon examination, the vet found a large abnormal cavity in the puppy's brain and signs of inflammation in other brain areas. Tests confirmed the presence of canine parvovirus type 2 in the brain, linking it to the inflammation. Unfortunately, the puppy did not survive, highlighting the serious impact of parvovirus on the nervous system in young dogs.
People also search for: puppy brain problems · canine parvovirus symptoms · puppy parvovirus treatment · why did my puppy die suddenly · signs of parvovirus in dogs
Abstract
A 4-month-old puppy died after showing intracranial signs a few days after a suspected viral enteritis. Grossly, the right cerebral hemisphere had a large irregular cavity external to the internal capsule. Histopathological examination revealed a cystic lesion in the right hemisphere and non-suppurative inflammation of the diencephalon and periaqueductal nervous tissue. Porencephaly associated with periventricular non-suppurative encephalitis was diagnosed. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified the presence of parvovirus DNA in the brain and real-time PCR typed this as canine parvovirus (CPV) type 2a. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of CPV antigen in the cytoplasm of scattered cells in the subependymal layers and choroid plexus epithelium. The porencephaly was not associated with inflammatory lesions or CPV antigen and was considered to have preceded the neurological signs. In contrast, the detection of CPV antigen in the subependymal layers and choroid plexus epithelium supported the association of this virus with the periventricular encephalitis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31159946/