Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog in Costa Rica with neck lumps caused by Spirocerca lupi infection
By Porras-Silesky, Catalina et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2022·University of Costa Rica·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Subcutaneous spirocercosis in a dog from Costa Rica and first molecular confirmation of Spirocerca lupi in Central America.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Maltese mix from Costa Rica had two lumps on its neck that didn't go away. The vet treated one lump with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication, which helped it heal. However, the other lump got worse and became filled with pus. When the vet removed it, they found two reddish worms inside, confirming the presence of a parasite called Spirocerca lupi, which can cause serious health issues. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing unusual parasites in pets and the need for further research on them.
People also search for: dog neck lumps · Maltese mix worm infection · Spirocerca lupi treatment
Abstract
Spirocerca lupi is the etiological agent of spirocercosis in canids from tropics and subtropics in the world. This parasite can lead to life threatening complications, including the formation of fibro and osteosarcomas. A 5-year-old crossbreed Maltese dog from Costa Rica was presented to a veterinary clinic with two nodules in the subcutaneous tissues of the cervical region. One of the nodules resolved with intramuscular antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment. However, the other nodule persisted and became purulent. The content of the nodule was excised releasing two coiled 3-cm reddish worms. Identity of the specimens was confirmed by amplifying an 850 bp fragment of the 18S rDNA. The obtained sequence showed 99.96% similarities with S. lupi from Hungary. The present study highlights the need of veterinary clinicians' awareness towards nematode aberrant migrations, and the require of molecular studies to gain insight into the parasite's evolutionary history.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35256122/