Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heartworm disease and caval syndrome in dogs in Grenada
By Chikweto, A et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2014·Pathobiology Department·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Retrospective study of canine heartworm disease with caval syndrome in Grenada, West Indies.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Grenada found that 249 out of 1,617 dogs examined after death had heartworm disease, which is caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis. Among these cases, 33 dogs showed signs of caval syndrome, a serious condition where heartworms block blood flow, leading to severe health issues. Symptoms of caval syndrome can include difficulty breathing and lethargy. The study highlights the importance of heartworm prevention, as the prevalence of this disease has been declining in recent years. Regular vet check-ups and preventive treatments can help keep dogs safe from heartworm disease.
People also search for: dog heartworm symptoms · caval syndrome in dogs · heartworm prevention for dogs
Abstract
Canine heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis is an important disease of dogs. The aim of this retrospective study was to estimate the prevalence of canine heartworm disease and evaluate cases of caval syndrome in dogs submitted for necropsy in Grenada. Out of 1617 dogs necropsied over a period of 13 years (2001-2013), 249 were found to be infected with D. immitis; giving an overall prevalence of 15.4% (95% confidence interval, 13.6% to 17.1%). There was no significant difference between male and female dogs with respect to canine heartworm infection (p = 0.3). During this period, the annual prevalence of canine heartworm disease was 22% in 2001 before slightly declining to an average of 18% in 2002-2003 and peaking at 26.8% in 2004-2005. From 2006 onwards, annual prevalence rates have steadily been decreasing; reaching the lowest (9%) in 2013. Among the 249 positive cases, 33 (13.2%) of the dogs had caval syndrome. Caval syndrome cases presented with concurrent clinical signs and were associated with cardio-pulmonary and hepatic gross lesions at necropsy. Aberrant migration of D. immitis was also noted in 2 dogs with caval syndrome. This is the first report which presents the findings of canine heartworm disease with caval syndrome in Grenada.
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/25280391/