Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with belly fluid buildup and weight loss diagnosis
By Dell'Orco, Marta et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2009·Pronto Soccorso Veterinario, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: What is your diagnosis? Peritoneal effusion from a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old female Italian hound was brought to the vet due to weight loss, lack of appetite, and tiredness. The vet found that her abdomen was swollen and noticed some skin issues. Tests showed she had fluid in her abdomen and signs of an infection caused by Leishmania, a parasite. After starting treatment with medications called meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol, the fluid buildup went away within a few days, and she started to feel better.
People also search for: dog weight loss and lethargy · Italian hound abdominal swelling · Leishmania treatment in dogs
Abstract
A 5-year-old, female Italian hound dog was presented with progressive weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy. Physical examination abnormalities included poor body condition, abdominal distension, splenomegaly, and areas of crusty alopecia on the head and limbs. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included mild normocytic normochromic anemia, moderate hyperproteinemia and hyperglobulinemia, mild hypoalbuminemia, and hyponatremia, a mild increase in serum alkaline phosphatase activity, and a moderate to marked increase in beta- and gamma-globulins on serum protein electrophoresis. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed peritoneal effusion. Abdominocentesis yielded approximately 200 mL of serosanguinous, slightly turbid fluid with 2.6 x 10(9) nucleated cells/L, and a protein concentration of 32 g/L. Cytologic specimens of the fluid contained a mixed population of inflammatory cells. Intracytoplasmic inclusions identified as Leishmania sp. amastigotes were observed in numerous macrophages and also free in the background. An ELISA for canine Leishmania sp. antibody was positive. The abdominal effusion resolved within a few days of beginning treatment with meglumine antimoniate and allopurinol. Finding Leishmania amastigotes in peritoneal fluid is rare in canine leishmaniasias and allows an easy, quick diagnosis of the disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19351338/