Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spirocerca infection causing pus in chest in dogs and treatment
By Klainbart, Sigal et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2007·School of Veterinary Medicine·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Spirocercosis-associated pyothorax in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Five dogs were brought in showing signs of weakness, loss of appetite, depression, breathing problems, and fever. They were diagnosed with a condition called spirocercosis, which is caused by a parasite that leads to infection in the chest cavity. The dogs were treated with antibiotics, had fluid drained from their chests, and received a medication called doramectin. Four of the dogs recovered well, while one had to be euthanized due to an unrelated illness. This case highlights the importance of considering this type of infection when dogs show symptoms of chest infections, especially in areas where the parasite is common.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · spirocercosis treatment in dogs · pyothorax in dogs symptoms · dog chest infection antibiotics
Abstract
The records of five dogs diagnosed with spirocercosis-associated pyothorax were retrospectively reviewed. On admission, the most common clinical findings were weakness, anorexia, depression, dyspnoea and fever. All dogs had typical oesophageal Spirocerca lupi granulomas. Contrast thoracic radiography revealed contrast material leakage from the oesophagus into the pleural cavity in two dogs only. All dogs were medically treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, repeated chest tube drainage and thoracic lavage, and four of the dogs were treated with doramectin. One dog was euthanased due to a concurrent non-related disease at the owners request while the remaining four survived. S. lupi infection should be included in the differential diagnoses of canine pyothorax in endemic areas. Conservative medical management of pyothorax with antihelmintic medication was shown to be effective in the treatment of S. lupi-associated pyothorax.
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/16246607/