Background: Cercopithifilaria bainae is a tick-vectored filarioid nematode associated with erythematous dermatitis in dogs. It has not been reported previously in the United States.
Hypothesis/objective: To describe clinical, histological and parasitological diagnosis and treatment of C. bainae in a dog.
Animals: An 11-month-old golden retriever/standard poodle mixed breed dog from Florida (USA).
Methods and materials: The dog had no travel history within or outside the United States, was presented with a one month history of annular erythematous plaques on the head and ulcers on the medial canthi. Lesions were unresponsive to antibiotic treatment.
Results: Histopathological evaluation of skin biopsies revealed an eosinophilic to lymphohistiocytic perivascular dermatitis with multiple microgranulomas and rare 5-10 μm diameter microfilariae within microgranulomas. Microfilarial morphology was consistent with C. bainae. PCR and sequencing of 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I genes confirmed the nematodes as C. bainae. The dog was treated with a commercial spot-on containing imidacloprid and moxidectin, and clinical resolution occurred.
Conclusions and clinical importance: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of C. bainae in a dog in the United States and the first description of dermatological lesions caused primarily by C. bainae.
© 2018 ESVD and ACVD.