Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cervical spinal cord compression caused by cryptococcosis in a dog: successful treatment with surgery and fluconazole.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 1998
- Authors:
- Kerwin, S C et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A six-year-old male Doberman pinscher was brought to the vet because he suddenly had trouble moving all four legs. Tests showed that there was a mass pressing on his spinal cord, which turned out to be caused by a fungal infection called cryptococcosis. The vet performed surgery to remove the mass, which helped him feel better right away. After surgery, the dog was given a medication called fluconazole to treat the infection, and after seven months, tests showed that the infection was gone. Overall, the treatment was successful, and the dog recovered well.
Abstract
A six-year-old, male Doberman pinscher was presented for acute onset of upper motor neuron tetraparesis. An extradural compressive lesion compatible with intervertebral disk rupture at the sixth to seventh cervical (C6-C7) disk space was evident on myelography. A large, gelatinous mass of pure cryptococcal organisms causing spinal cord compression was identified upon exploratory surgery. Removal of the mass caused relief of clinical signs. No evidence of involvement of other organ systems was found; however, serum and cerebrospinal fluid titers were positive for cryptococcal infection. The dog was treated with fluconazole (5.5 mg/kg body weight, per os sid) until serum titers for cryptococcal infection were negative at seven months postsurgery. To the authors' knowledge, this is the only report of a dog with cryptococcosis treated successfully using fluconazole as a sole agent.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9826290/