Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tongue nodules as a rare sign of leishmaniasis in dogs in Brazil
By da Costa Neto, João José et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2021·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Tongue nodules in an atypical canine leishmaniasis in Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A female dog in Brazil was brought in for a jaw injury when the vet discovered small nodules on her tongue. Testing confirmed she had canine leishmaniasis, a disease caused by a parasite. After a year of treatment, her overall health improved, but she still had detectable antibodies and could remain infectious. This case highlights that tongue nodules can be a rare sign of leishmaniasis, which pet owners should consider if they notice unusual growths in their dog's mouth.
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Abstract
We aimed to report a case of canine leishmaniasis with the only visible clinical sign being the presence of nodules in the lateral region of the tongue. The bitch was treated for a mandibular fracture, when multiple small nodules were observed on the tongue. We identify nodular glossitis with the presence of structures compatible with amastigote forms of Leishmania. The bitch was positive by ELISA, RIFI and PCR assays. Clinical re-evaluation after one year of treatment for leishmaniasis showed clinical improvement, but there was maintenance of antibody titers and infectivity. Lingual nodules as the only clinical sign of the disease is rare, especially in endemic areas, but should be included as differential diagnosis for leishmaniasis in the country.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34393149/