Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum in greyhounds

Blood samples from 331 greyhounds in the Hunter Valley and nearby coastal areas of New South Wales were examined for microfilariae using a filtration technique. Species were identified by histochemical staining; 10.9% of the greyhounds were infected with Dirofilaria immitis and 3.6% with Dipetalonema reconditum. The prevalence of infection of both species was significantly greater in summer than in winter (p = less than 0.05). Infection with D. immitis was correlated with differences in age, sex, bodyweight and coat colour, and a reported lack of stamina and the presence of a cough. No significant association was found. Diethylcarbamazine citrate was used for prophylaxis in 8.8% of all the greyhounds examined.     

A case of canine salmonellosis due to Salmonella infantis

A 7-year-old male dog kept outdoors manifested severe watery diarrhea with generalized weakness. Salmonella Infantis was isolated from a fecal sample and the dog recovered soon after medication with ampicillin, to which the isolate was highly sensitive. The present case was diagnosed as S. Infantis infection. Due to the importance of Salmonella in public health, soil samples were collected from the garden where the dog was kept and were examined for Salmonella, Some of them were positive for S. Infantis, however, no Salmonella was isolated from any soil samples collected after thorough disinfection of the surrounded environment.     

Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum infection in dogs: 805 cases (1980-1989).

Clinical records of 6,977 dogs examined at the small animal clinic of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine from January 1980 through December 1989 were analyzed to determine the prevalence and changing frequency of Dirofilaria immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum infection. Using the Knott's test on these dogs, 805 (11.54%) tested positive for microfilariae, with D immitis in 430 dogs (6.16%), and Dip reconditum in 375 dogs (5.37%). Statistical analysis confirmed that the prevalence of D immitis and that of Dip reconditum were essentially equal in the population of dogs included in this study. There was a slight decrease in the prevalence of D immitis over the 10 years examined, but the prevalence of Dip reconditum remained constant. The results were not affected by year-to-year variability in the number of examinations performed. On the basis of our findings, in eastern Tennessee, those veterinarians who diagnose heartworm infection by the presence of microfilariae without differentiating the species involved, risk misdiagnosing 50% of the cases. If the patterns of prevalence seen in recent years continue, the chances of error may actually increase.     

A case of canine discospondylitis and epidural empyema due to Salmonella species

A case of canine discospondylitis and epidural empyema due to Salmonella species is reported. The history, clinical signs, and magnetic resonance imaging were suggestive of discospondylitis and empyema, which was subsequently confirmed by blood cultures. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of canine discospondylitis due to Salmonella species.     

A case of canine primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)

A 2-year and 6 month-old, female, Golden Retriever showed circling behavior and seizure. By magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination, a mass was found on the surface of the left cerebral hemisphere, invading to the left temporal muscle. The skull bone between them was destroyed. The dog was euthanized and necropsied. Histologically, the mass contained a lot of undifferentiated anaplastic cells, forming Homer-Wright rosettes and pseudopalisading patterns. Thus, the case was diagnosed as primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).     

Specific polymerase chain reaction for differential diagnosis of Dirofilaria immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum using primers derived from internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2)

Both Dirofilaria immiti and Dipetalonema reconditum may be found in blood of infected dogs but it is not easy to distinguish D. immitis from D. reconditum in morphology. We cloned and sequenced the contiguous internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, of these two different parasites and published on GenBank as AF217800 for D. immiti and AF217801 for D. reconditum in this study. We designed two pairs of specific primers derived from ITS2 being used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplicons of ITS2 from D. immiti and D. reconditum are 302 and 348bp, respectively. Moreover, the limitation for amplifying ITS2 gene using this PCR demonstrated that 1 x 10(-2) microfilaria of each species of parasite smashed or even with mixed samples could be detected and the PCR products were predicted as the same as that described above. Thus, D. immiti and D. reconditum could be differentially diagnosed by this specific PCR. Seventeen clinical cases were evaluated and all of them were correctly identified. In this study, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 of D. immiti or D. reconditum were the first time sequenced and analyzed. No significant similarity of ITS1 and ITS2 between D. immiti and D. reconditum could be observed.     

The first report on detection of canine Acantocheilonema reconditum in Poland and the associated diagnostic problems

Acanthoheilonema reconditum was found during monitoring dogs living in the vicinity of Warsaw, for Dirofilaria spp. infection. The microfilaremia in blood was at first detected by microscopy and then molecular tests for distinct filarial markers were performed. PCR product sequencing confirmed that the microfilaria detected in two dogs were A. reconditum. These are the first two cases of canine acanthocheilonemiasis detected in Poland.     

A case of canine gastrinoma

The dog of this case was a 10-year-old Shih Tzu with refractory vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia. Endoscopy revealed an unclear at gastric angle, a stenosis at pyloric antrum and congestion in duodenal mucosa. Since abnormal shadows of irregular echo-levels were disclosed by pancreas ultrasonography, serum gastrin level was determined with a suspect of gastrinoma. And an increase of serum gastrin was demonstrated. In addition, postmortem histological examination revealed that the pancreatic cells were positive for gastrin. Based on these findings, the dog was diagnosed as pancreatic gastrinoma.