CLINICAL ASPECTS OF 27 CASES OF NEOSPOROSIS IN DOGS

Twenty-seven cases of neosporosis in European dogs are described, The disease was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, or a favourable response to treatment in the dogs with appropriate clini cal signs, and by the presence of antibodies to Neospora caninum but n ot to Toxoplasma gondii, The affected dogs were two days to seven year s old, and of 13 different breeds. Both sexes were affected and in mos t cases littermates remained normal, Twenty-one cases had an initial h indlimb paresis or ataxia, in which muscle atrophy was the most consis tent clinical sign, Rigid hyperextension developed in approximately ha lf of the cases, Anorexia and pyrex-in were rare. Other clinical signs included forelimb ataxia, head tremors with tetraparesis and sudden c ollapse due to myocarditis, Titres of greater than or equal to 1:800 i n the N caninum indirect fluorescent antibody test were detected in th e 20 cases from which serum samples were taken. Such high titres are r are in healthy dogs and strongly suggest a diagnosis of neosporosis. S ixteen of the dogs received appropriate antiprotozoal treatment with c lindamycin, potentiated sulphonamides and/or pyrimethamine; 10 made a full or functional recovery, Recovery was less likely in peracute case s with severe clinical signs, and when the treatment was delayed.