Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy with weakness and trouble breathing - could it be toxoplasmosis?
By Chen, Audrey et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2023·Centre for Animal Rehabilitation·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Suspected clinical toxoplasmosis in a 12-week-old puppy in Singapore.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-week-old puppy was brought to the vet with weakness in its back legs, muscle loss, and trouble breathing after being trapped from an offshore island in Singapore. Tests showed the puppy had a suspected infection from a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. Fortunately, the puppy responded well to treatment with clindamycin and was able to go home after 10 days in the hospital. This case highlights the importance of considering toxoplasmosis in dogs that spend time outdoors and show similar symptoms.
People also search for: puppy weakness and breathing problems · Toxoplasma infection in dogs · clindamycin for puppy treatment
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is traditionally known as a parasite of felids, with possible infection in intermediate hosts such as dogs and humans, and thus a disease of public health significance. Published data on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in dogs and cats in Singapore is scanty, and this paper documents a suspect clinical case of toxoplasmosis in a free-roaming puppy trapped from an offshore island of Singapore. CASE PRESENTATION: A 12-week-old puppy presented with hindlimb weakness and sarcopenia, with rapidly progressing ascending paralysis and respiratory distress, one week after trapping. Toxoplasmosis was suspected after indirect fluorescence antibody testing (IFAT) revealed anti-T. gondii antibodies. The puppy responded quickly to clindamycin treatment and was discharged from hospital after 10 days. CONCLUSION: While rare and undocumented, veterinary clinicians in Singapore are advised to also include toxoplasmosis infection as a differential diagnosis in dogs presenting with similar clinical signs. This is especially so for dogs which have access to the outdoors.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37542292/