NEOSPOROSIS CAUSING ENCEPHALOMALACIA AND MYOCARDITIS IN YOUNG-DOGS

In a litter of American Staffordshire terriers two animals with an age of 5 and 8 weeks showed ataxia, head tilt, nystagmus, exophthalmus an d signs of pain. Due to progressive deterioration the animals were eut hanatized. Histologically, there was a multifocal encephalomalacia. In the brain numerous tachyzoites and tissue cysts were found, which wer e identified as Neospora caninum by immunohistochemistry. Additionally , a diffuse nonsuppurative myocarditis was present. Spinal cord, spina l nerves, and skeletal muscles were not significantly altered. The dam and two clinically healthy littermates had antibodies against Neospor a caninum. This paper presents the first documented cases of neosporos is in Austria.