Dehydration and hemodynamic changes as causa mortis associated with Trichuris vulpis in a dog
Silva, Eric Arantes daOliveira, Igor BorgesSilva, Thâmara Rossi Martins daAmaral, Andreia Vitor Couto doMeirelles-Bartoli, Raphaella BarbosaBraga, Ísis AssisSaturnino, Klaus CasaroRamos, Dirceu Guilherme de Souza
Background: Trichuris vulpis, a species that belongs to Trichuris and shows a cosmopolitan distribution, parasitizes thegastrointestinal system of dogs causing trichuriasis. The infection occurs owing to ingestion of larval eggs and subsequentfixation of their adult form in the large intestine of the host. The objective of this paper is to report the case of a BorderCollie dog that arrived at the Veterinary Pathology and Parasitology Laboratory (LPPV) of the Federal University of Jataí(UFJ) after exhibiting signs of intense dehydration and sudden death caused by severe T. vulpis infection, and to elucidatethe macroscopic and microscopic histopathological correlations observed during necropsy.Case: A 7-year-old male Border Collie dog was referred for routine necroscopic examination on suspicion of death fromintoxication. In the history, there were reports of bone ingestion, restlessness, and polydipsia for three days, followed bysudden death. Although the animal presented an adequate body state during the necroscopic procedure, enophthalmia andpale oral and ocular mucosa were observed, which are characteristic signs of severe dehydration and anemia. On opening the abdominal cavity, the visceral serosa were found to be stained and severely dry. Greenish mucous content wasobserved throughout the intestine, and in the large intestine, a moderate amount of mucus associated with high parasiticinfestation by elongated parasites attached to the mucosa was identified. The parasites were harvested, stored in airtightvials containing 70% alcohol, processed, and subsequently identified as T. vulpis.Discussion: The necroscopic findings associated with the histopathology were compatible with T. vulpis infestation at highparasite intensity, with severe destruction of the intestinal mucosa and inability of water absorption, resulting in severedehydration. In cases of parasitism, villous atrophy with crypt hypertrophy occurs...(AU)
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