Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Stray dog in South Africa diagnosed with lung tuberculosis infection
By Parsons, S D C et al.·Published in Journal of the South African Veterinary Association·2008·Faculty of Health Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Beijing strain) infection in a stray dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A stray Maltese crossbreed dog was found to have a serious lung infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the same bacteria that causes tuberculosis in humans. This dog had multiple areas in its lungs affected by the infection, which can be contagious to other animals and even humans. Unfortunately, treating tuberculosis in dogs is not usually effective, and euthanasia is often recommended for severely affected animals. This case highlights the importance of being cautious with pets that may have this infection, as they can pose a risk to human health.
People also search for: dog lung infection tuberculosis · stray dog health issues · Maltese crossbreed tuberculosis treatment
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in dogs is rarely reported and has not previously been documented in South Africa. A case of a stray Maltese crossbreed dog with extensive multifocal pulmonary tuberculosis due to M. tuberculosis is described. Pulmonary granulomas in this case were poorly encapsulated and contained large numbers of acid-fast bacteria, highlighting the potential for infected companion animals to excrete the pathogen. Treatment of canine tuberculosis is generally not advised, and for this reason, euthanasia of diseased animals must be advocated in most instances. Physicians and veterinarians must be aware that companion animals with active disease caused by M. tuberculosis could act as a potential source of infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18853521/