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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #268038
Title: What is your diagnosis? Duodenal brush preparation from a dog

Author
item PALIC, JELENA - Iowa State University
item PARKER, VALERIE - Iowa State University
item FALES-WILLIAMS, AMANDA - Iowa State University
item JARVINEN, JULIE - Iowa State University
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Veterinary Clinical Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2011
Publication Date: 12/1/2012
Citation: Palic, J., Parker, V.J., Fales-Williams, A.J., Jarvinen, J.A., Dubey, J.P. 2012. What is your diagnosis? Duodenal brush preparation from a dog. Veterinary Clinical Pathology. 41:431-432.

Interpretive Summary: Hammondia heydorni, a single celled parasite is very closely related to Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii. Its diagnosis in a living animal is difficult. In the present paper authors report clinical illness in a dog and discuss differential diagnosis of these three closely related parasites. The results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: A 10-year-old spayed female Italian Greyhound was presented to the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine for evaluation of a two-month history of weight loss and anorexia with a two-week history of vomiting. The dog had recently received corticosteroid medication for suspected intervertebral disc disease. On physical examination, the dog was thin with a body condition score of 2.5/9 and had severe diffuse cachexia. Rectal examination revealed reddish-brown soft stool. Physical examination was otherwise unremarkable and no neurologic deficits were noted. Hematology revealed a mild anemia, mild neutrophilia and moderate thrombocytosis. Serum biochemistry revealed mild hypoalbuminemia and hypocalcemia. Urinalysis, thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound revealed no abnormalities. Hammondia parasites were found in intestinal biopsy.