Treatment of canine dirofilariasis: pulmonary thromboembolism caused by thiacetarsamide--microscopic changes.

Abstract

Light and scanning electron microscopies were used to study the pulmonary embolism occurring in Dirofilaria immitis-infected dogs after treatment with thiacetarsamide. Lesions in control dogs (nontreated) which had been infected for 4 weeks with 9 Dirofilaria immitis adults were compared with lesions occurring in infected dogs at 2 weeks and at 4 weeks after they were treated with the adulticide. Extensive thromboembolism occurred in the caudal lobar pulmonary arteries of dogs at posttreatment weeks 2 and 4. Complicated villous proliferations were present at posttreatment week 2. The characteristic myointimal proliferation of dirofilariasis showed resolution in the large pulmonary arteries of the dogs at week 4. However, the caudal lobar pulmonary arterial and lung lesions were more severe in the later group. The pathophysiology of adulticide-induced thromboembolism and associated lung parenchymal changes were discussed.

• Authors: J C Keith Jr, C A Rawlings, R G Schaub
• Journal: American journal of veterinary research (Am J Vet Res) Vol. 44 Issue 7 Pg. 1272-7 (Jul 1983) ISSN: 0002-9645 [Print] United States
• PMID: 6881665 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Arsenicals
• Arsenamide

Topics

• Animals
• Arsenamide (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Arsenicals (adverse effects)
• Dirofilariasis (drug therapy, pathology, veterinary)
• Dog Diseases (chemically induced, drug therapy, pathology)
• Dogs
• Lung (pathology)
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
• Pulmonary Artery (ultrastructure)
• Pulmonary Embolism (chemically induced, pathology, veterinary)