Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog in Brazil with skin nodules caused by heartworm infection
By Silva, Welitânia Inácia da et al.·Published in Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria·2023·Programa de Pó·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Subcutaneous dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria immitis in a dog in Brazil: first report.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old male dachshund in Brazil had skin lesions on his nostrils and sides, which turned out to be caused by a type of heartworm called Dirofilaria immitis. After tests confirmed the diagnosis, the dog was initially treated with ivermectin, which helped reduce the lesions at first, but they came back after a month. The vet then switched to a combination treatment of imidacloprid and moxidectin, along with doxycycline, which was given for 30 days. This new treatment plan was more effective, helping to manage the dog's condition over time.
People also search for: dog skin lesions treatment · dachshund heartworm symptoms · Dirofilaria immitis in dogs
Abstract
The aim of this study was to report on the presence of microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis causing nodular pyogranulomatous dermatitis in a dog in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil. A 4-year-old male dachshund dog with lesions in the nostrils and left dorsolateral regions was treated. Tests were requested to aid in making the diagnosis, such as skin cytology, Knott's test, thick smear and histopathology of the lesions. From these, presence of a diffuse pyogranulomatous process was observed and, amidst the cellular material, microfilariae of Dirofilaria spp. A conventional polymerase chain reaction test on tissue samples from the lesions revealed the presence of the species D. immitis. Treatment based on ivermectin (3mg) was administered at a single oral dose of 0.6 mg/kg. In the first seven days there was regression of the lesions, but after 30 days there was recurrence. A new treatment was administered, consisting of 10% imidacloprid + 2.5% moxidectin (4-10 mg/kg), with one application per month for 6 months, and doxycycline (100 mg), 10 mg/kg, 1 tablet, 2 times a day, for 30 days. In conclusion, D. immitis microfilariae caused pyogranulomatous lesions in the subcutaneous tissue of a dog. This had not previously been described in Brazil.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37283421/