Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feral cat in Manawatu with chronic diarrhea from Spirometra tapeworms
By Ugarte, C E et al.·Published in New Zealand veterinary journal·2005·Institute of Food·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spirometra erinacei / S. erinaceieuropaei in a feral cat in Manawatu with chronic intermittent diarrhoea.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A feral cat in New Zealand had chronic intermittent diarrhea that was watery and yellow. Despite being treated for worms and fleas and showing good appetite and weight gain, the diarrhea persisted for six months. Routine blood tests were normal, and different types of cat food did not help. Unfortunately, the cat was euthanized, and during the examination, adult Spirometra tapeworms were found in its intestines, confirming the cause of the diarrhea. This type of tapeworm can cause gastrointestinal issues in cats and requires specific treatment to eliminate.
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Abstract
CASE HISTORY: A feral cat captured in the Manawatu region of New Zealand was treated for worms and fleas, and kept confined in a metabolic cage. It showed good appetite and weight gain but had intermittent watery, yellow diarrhoea. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Clinical examination under sedation was unremarkable and routine blood tests showed no significant abnormalities. The cat was negative for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV). Different canned cat foods did not alter the course of the diarrhoea, and the cat was euthanised 6 months after capture. At necropsy, two sections of adult Spirometra tapeworms were found in the jejunum and typical Spirometra eggs were found in colonic contents. Molecular identification of the parasite was undertaken, using the cytochrome-c oxidase subunit-1 gene (cox1) sequence. DIAGNOSIS: Chronic intermittent diarrhoea associated with Spirometra erinacei / S. erinaceieuropaei infection. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Spirometra has not been reported in New Zealand before but has been associated with gastrointestinal disease in cats in other parts of the world. It requires species targeted treatment to be eliminated effectively, and is zoonotic. Diagnosis could be difficult for clinicians who are not familiar with the parasite and its life cycle.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16220130/