Diagnostic Tests, Clinical Signs, and Treatment for Dirofilariasis in Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets
Diagnostic Tests, Clinical Signs, and Treatment for Dirofilariasis in Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets
Host | –-–----------------Diagnosis (Test Utility)--------------------- | Clinical Signs | Prevention | ------------Treatment------------ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Microfilaria | Ag or Ab Test | Thoracic radiography | Echocardiography | Adults | Microfilariae | |||
Dog | **** | ***** (Ag) | *** MPA, PA, RHE, PTE, PIE | ** | Respiratory, weight loss, exercise intolerance, heart failure | Ivermectin, milbemycin, selamectin, or moxidectin | Melarsomine, doxycycline, supportive treatment | Moxidectin,a ivermectin, milbemycin, or selamectin + doxycycline, |
Cat | * | ** (Ag) **** (Ab)# | ** PA, PIE | **** | Respiratory, vomiting, sudden death, heart failure | Ivermectin, milbemycin, selamectin, moxidectin, or eprinomectin | Supportive treatment;, doxycycline + melarsomine, heartworm extraction | NA |
Ferret | * | *** (Ag) | * RH | *** | Heart failure, respiratory, sudden death, heart failure | Ivermectin, milbemycin, selamectin, or moxidectin | Supportive treatment (including corticosteroids) | NA |
aImidacloprid-moxidectin is the only approved microfilaricide. * = rarely useful; ** = somewhat useful; *** = moderately useful; **** = often useful; ***** = excellent test; Ag = antigen; Ab = antibody; # = Ab-positive does not prove mature infection, only exposure/abbreviated infection; MPA = main pulmonary artery enlargement; PA = pulmonary artery enlargement; PTE = pulmonary thrombus/thromboembolus; PIE = pulmonary infiltrate with eosinophils; ML = macrocyclic lactone (macrolide); RH = right heart enlargement; NA = not applicable Adapted from McCall, JW. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract. 1998;13(2):112. | ||||||||