Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · 1998 · 48 citations · 0 references
Veterinary MedicineInfectious DiseasesVeterinary ParasitologyDiagnostic MicrobiologyDiagnostic ParasitologyVeterinary Parasitic DiseasesChemotherapy In Veterinary SpeciesParasitic Disease DiagnosisParasitic Disease PreventionParasitic DiseasesVeterinary ChemotherapyVeterinary Diagnostic MicrobiologyCanine ParasitologyDiagnostic Test ProceduresPeritonitis TreatmentPolymerase Chain Reaction (Pcr) AmplificationRestriction Fragment Length Polymorphism AnalysisVeterinary Antiparasitic ChemotherapyVeterinary Antiparasitic TherapyVeterinary Parasitology Diagnostics
An 8-year-old spayed Schnauzer with a distended abdomen was examined because of straining to urinate and suspected urinary tract infection. Abdominal radiography revealed a ground-glass appearance, and ultrasonography revealed numerous cystic structures in the peritoneal cavity. Examination of an aspirate of abdominal fluid revealed tissues consistent with metacestodes. Tissues were definitively identified as Mesocestoides spp on the basis of polymerase chain reaction amplification of restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The dog required several courses of treatment with fenbendazole to eliminate the infection. This was 1 of 11 dogs infected with Mesocestoides metacestodes. Treatment involving the use of praziquantel and albendazole were ineffective, but fenbendazole successfully cleared Mesocestoides infections in 5 of 6 dogs.