Veterinary Research Forum
Vet Res Forum

Two serious conditions, one sudden loss: mesenteric volvulus and dirofilaria immitis in a dog

Document Type : Clinical Report

Authors

Dajana Davitkov 1
Sofija Šolaja 2
Darko Davitkov 3
Danica Bogunović 4
Milan Rajković 4
Vanja Krstić 3
Anja Ilić Božović 3

1 Department of Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

2 Department of Virology, Institute of Veterinary Medicine of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

3 Department of Equine, Small Animal, Poultry and Wild Animal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

4 Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2024.2023716.4197
Abstract
Sudden death has been thoroughly well defined and investigated in human medicine and its definition is not as rigorously established in veterinary medicine. In this case a 7-year-old German Shepherd was brought to the Small Animals Clinic of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Belgrade in very poor state. Despite treatment, the dog died 15 min after being admitted to the clinic. Since poisoning was suspected, the owners requested an autopsy. The dog was taken to the Department of Forensic Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade for necropsy. Pathomorphological examinations revealed rupture of the mesentery with mesenteric volvulus. In addition, a large number of adult forms of Dirofilaria immitis were found in the right atrium, ventricle and in truncus pulmonalis. Further examinations of the respiratory system revealed clusters with partially degraded adult parasites in the lobes. The dog died due to mesenteric volvulus which was a rare finding, with an even rarer finding that was lung nodules with adult D. immitis parasites.

Keywords

Dirofilariosis
German Shepherd
Mesenterium
Necropsy

Subjects

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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 16, Issue 2
February 2025
Pages 125-128

  • Receive Date 12 March 2024
  • Revise Date 21 August 2024
  • Accept Date 11 September 2024

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