ABSTRACT
A nine-year-old golden retriever was referred for evaluation of chronic anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Low body weight, mucous membrane pallor, and palpably enlarged liver and spleen were detected by physical examination. Anemia, hyperglobulinemia, and concurrent trichuriasis and coccidiosis were identified upon initial diagnostic evaluation. Punctate vertebral lysis was apparent radiographically. Atypical plasma cell proliferation was found in the bone marrow, liver, and spleen. An immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G biclonal gammopathy was demonstrated by serum protein electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis. The dog was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and euthanized per owner request. Multiple myeloma should be considered in the differential diagnosis for biclonal gammopathy in the dog.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases/etiology , Hypergammaglobulinemia/veterinary , Immunoglobulin A , Immunoglobulin G , Multiple Myeloma/veterinary , Animals , Biopsy, Needle/veterinary , Bone Marrow/pathology , Diagnosis, Differential , Dog Diseases/pathology , Dogs , Hypergammaglobulinemia/etiology , Liver/pathology , Liver Neoplasms/secondary , Male , Multiple Myeloma/complications , Multiple Myeloma/pathology , Spleen/pathology , Splenic Neoplasms/secondary , Splenic Neoplasms/veterinaryABSTRACT
Although widely reported in cattle, horses, and other ungulates, onchocerciasis has only recently been reported in 1 dog. We report 2 additional dogs with onchocerciasis involving the palpebral conjunctiva, third palpebra, and sclera. Both dogs were evaluated because of ocular or periocular masses. Histologically, viable adult parasites were surrounded by minimal fibrosis and few macrophages. Pyogranulomas were often centered around degenerating or mineralized Onchocerca organisms. Onchocerciasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of ocular or periocular nodules in dogs, particularly dogs from western states.
