A case of a dog refractory to different treatments for pulmonary capillariasis

Parasitol Res. 2021 Mar;120(3):1137-1141. doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-06940-9. Epub 2020 Oct 26.

Abstract

Pulmonary capillariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the nematode Eucoleus aerophilus which affects wild and domestic carnivores. Currently, there are no anthelmintics approved for use in the treatment of dogs infected with E. aerophilus. The use of several anthelmintics has been reported in a few case reports and field efficacy studies in cats; much less is known on the treatment of dogs infected with E. aerophilus. The paper describes a case of a 4-month-old, mixed breed intact male referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) of the Department of Veterinary Medical Science of the University of Bologna for a routine vaccination and tested positive for E. aerophilus. The dog has not been responding to three different administered treatments, such as moxidectin, fenbendazole, and milbemycin oxime. Eighteen months after the first fecal examination, owner has brought in the dog for a routine visit; a coprological examination was requested and performed resulting negative for parasites. Veterinary practitioners, parasitologists, diagnostic laboratories, and dog owners need to be aware of the increased danger of possible treatment failure when attempting to control parasitic infections for which there are no approved anthelmintics with established efficacies available for use.

Keywords: Dog; Eucoleus aerophilus; Fenbendazole; Milbemycin oxime; Moxidectin; Treatments; Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antinematodal Agents / pharmacology
  • Antinematodal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Dog Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Dog Diseases / parasitology
  • Dogs
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Fenbendazole / pharmacology
  • Fenbendazole / therapeutic use
  • Macrolides / pharmacology
  • Macrolides / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Nematoda / classification*
  • Nematoda / drug effects
  • Nematoda / isolation & purification
  • Nematode Infections / drug therapy
  • Nematode Infections / parasitology
  • Nematode Infections / veterinary*
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Antinematodal Agents
  • Macrolides
  • milbemycin oxime
  • Fenbendazole
  • moxidectin