CANINE

SPIROCERCOSIS

INTRODUCTION
Spirocercosis is caused by a nematode

spirocerca lupi.
AdultSpirocerca lupiare bright red worms, 40
mm (male) to 70 mm (female) long, generally
located within nodules in the esophageal,
gastric, or aorticwalls.
Definitive - Dogs, foxes, other canids
Intermediate - beetle.
Paratenic - Lizards, birds, and rodents.

EPIDEMIOLOGY
Infections are seen in southern areas of USA.
Infection is seen in many tropical and sub

tropical regions worldwide like

Greece,India,Israel,South africa etc
In recent years this infection has increased in
Israel.

LIFECYCLE AND PATHOGENESIS

Adult spirocerca lupi are pink-red , lengthy

worms that reside with in intramural

granulomatous nodules located in the distal
thoracic oesophagus.
Dogs are infected by ingesting 3 rd stage larvaeladen dung beetles(IM) or transport
hosts(reptiles,birds,rodents) that have prayed on
beetles.
The infective larvae are released into the
stomach,penetrate its mucosa,and begin a
strikingly predictable migration.

They reach aorta by 3 weeks.

Most of the larvae leave the aorta

approximately 3 months after infection and

cross over to the esophagus, where they incite
the development of granulomatous nodules as
they mature to adults over the next 3 months.
Esophageal granulomas and sarcomas
(fibrosarcomas, osteosarcomas, undifferentiated
sarcomas), aortic aneurysms and thrombosis,
thoracic spondylosis,osteopathy, salivary gland
necrosis, and pyothorax have all been
associated with larval migration and the
localization of adult worms within host
tissues.The pathogenesis ofS. lupi-associated
sarcomas has yet to be elucidated.

CLINICAL SIGNS
S. lupiinfection is usually subclinical.
Young adult and large-breed dogs are apparently

more prone to develop clinical spirocercosis, with

Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, and
Hellenic hounds being overrepresented.
When the infection is clinically evident, it is mainly
manifested by regurgitation, repeated attempts to
swallow (odynophagia), and hyper
salivation.Vomiting, melena, decreased appetite,
progressive loss of body weight, weakness,
dyspnea, coughing, fever, lameness, paraparesis,
swollen distal limbs, and salivary gland
enlargement are less common clinical signs of this
parasitic disease.

CLINICO PATHOLOGY
Normocytic normochromic anaemia.
Neutrophilic leukocytosis.
Hyperproteinemia.
Increased alkaline phosphatase and

creatine kinase activities have been

recently proposed as useful,
although nonspecific,
clinicopathologic indicators of
clinical spirocercosis.

DIAGNOSIS
Spirocercosis, either clinical or

subclinical, is diagnosed by means of

fecal analysis. Sugar flotation (specific
gravity 1.270), Teleman's
sedimentation, and fecal dilution with
artificial gastric juice are the
techniques usually applied to find the
embryonated, thick-shelled, small (30
to 37 m by 11 to 15 m) parasitic ova

Survey thoracic radiography is less sensitive and

specific than fecal analysis or esophagoscopy,

but it frequently allows the detection of parasiteinduced lesions or their secondary complications.
The prominent radiographic features associated
withS. lupi-induced lesions are caudal thoracic
spondylitis.
Esophagoscopy and, sometimes, gastroscopy
are the diagnostic modalities of choice for direct
visualization ofS. lupinodules.

TREATMENT
Ivermectin-0.2 mg/kg, may
have to be repeatedOR - 0.6
mg/kg, SQ, twice, 14 days
apart along with prednisolone,
orally,0.5 mg/kg BW, every 12
h, for a total of 3 weeks,
tapering the dose accordingly.

Doramectin - 0.4 mg/kg, SQ, every 2

weeks for 6 doses then monthly until

granuloma disappears.
Ethanol-induced chemical ablation ofS.
lupiesophageal nodules was evaluated in
six dogs, four of which showed satisfactory
clinical remission; however, nodular
regression and cessation of egg shedding
were rarely achieved.39The high cost and
inherent risks (i.e., chemical esophagitis
and esophageal wall perforation)
associated with the use of this method
would limit its application to only the
avermectin-sensitive herding breeds.

PREVENTION
In endemic areas, regularly and

properly disposing of fecal

material, controlling stray dog
populations, avoiding feeding
dogs offal from transport hosts,
and appropriately treating
infected animals may eventually
reduce the incidence of
spirocercosis.

THANK U