Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with itchy red skin and hair loss diagnosed with Pelodera
By Căpitan, Rareş G M & Noli, Chiara·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2017·Regatul Animalelor·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Trichoscopic diagnosis of cutaneous Pelodera strongyloides infestation in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old mixed breed dog was brought in for severe itching, hair loss, and red skin on its belly and legs. The vet diagnosed a rare skin infestation caused by a type of nematode (Pelodera strongyloides) after examining hair samples and skin biopsies. Although skin scrapings are usually the go-to test, in this case, the parasites were found more easily in the hair samples. The infestation was successfully treated with two applications of a spot-on treatment containing moxidectin and imidacloprid, given two weeks apart, which cleared up the problem.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pelodera strongyloides infestation has rarely been reported in dogs. It is a saprophytic free-living nematode, found in moist decaying organic matter, whose L3 larval stages occasionally can invade the skin of dogs and humans. Larvae penetrate the follicular infundibula causing an erythematous and pruritic dermatitis. The disease is usually diagnosed by deep skin scraping or histopathology, with large numbers of parasites readily identified in hair follicles. CASE REPORT: Pelodera strongyloides dermatitis was diagnosed in a six-year-old mixed breed dog presenting with alopecia, erythema and severe pruritus on the ventrum and limbs. The infestation was diagnosed by microscopic examination of plucked hair shafts and confirmed on microscopic examination of skin biopsies collected for histopathology. Only two of 10 deep skin scrapings gave positive findings. The nematode infestation was eradicated following two applications, 2 weeks apart, of a moxidectin/imidacloprid spot-on product. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Skin scrapings are considered the diagnostic test of choice for P. strongyloides infestations. In this case, parasites were identified by hair trichograms more readily than by skin scrapings.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28345791/