Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imported dog died from spirocercosis and parvovirus infection risks
By Wong, Eileen et al.·Published in Topics in companion animal medicine·2023·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spirocercosis and Parvovirus in an Imported Dog: Implications for Biosecurity and Foreign Infectious Disease Risk.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-month-old male mixed breed dog died shortly after arriving in the United States due to complications from two serious infections: spirocercosis and parvovirus. Four weeks after arrival, the dog showed symptoms like rapid breathing and diarrhea, and a vet found it had a fever and severe anemia. Despite receiving blood transfusions and treatment, the dog developed septic shock and unfortunately passed away. A necropsy revealed severe damage to the esophagus and evidence of parvovirus in the brain. This case underscores the importance of thorough health checks for imported pets to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
People also search for: dog breathing problems after travel · parvovirus symptoms in puppies · spirocercosis treatment in dogs
Abstract
Increased international travel and importation of animals brings with it the potential for spread of infectious diseases. This report details a case in which an 8-month-old male mixed breed dog died shortly after arrival to the United States from complications secondary to spirocercosis, despite having been deemed healthy and approved for international travel. Four weeks following arrival, the dog developed mild tachypnea and diarrhea. Physical examination revealed moderate pyrexia with generalized cerebellar ataxia, moderate anemia, a mature neutrophilia, and severe panhypoproteinemia. Packed red blood cells were administered. The dog was diagnosed with pyothorax and decompensated with septic shock shortly thereafter. Necropsy revealed severe transmural esophagitis with intralesional Spirocerca lupi. Evaluation of the brain revealed cerebellar hypoplasia, and polymerase chain reaction of brain tissue was positive for canine parvovirus. Despite receiving a clean bill of health in its country of origin, this patient ultimately had evidence of 2 different infectious processes that pre-dated its arrival into the United States. While neither of these diseases posed a significant public health risk, this case highlights the role veterinarians play before and after international travel as important barriers against the spread of exotic diseases, and emphasizes that maintaining vigilance is paramount to that task.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36371066/