Survival of a Suspected Case of Central Nervous System Cuterebrosis in a Dog: Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings

Abstract

A 3-year-old, spayed female rat terrier was evaluated for acute onset of stupor, disorientation, and tetraparesis. Clinical signs progressed over 3 weeks to eventual right-sided hemiparesis and circling to the left. A Cuterebra spp. larva was discovered in the vomitus of the dog 2 weeks after the onset of clinical signs. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed chronic inflammation, and magnetic resonance imaging supported a diagnosis of a parasitic tract through the left cerebral hemisphere. Medical management included a tapering anti-inflammatory dose of prednisone. Clinical signs improved slowly over time. This is the first description of a presumptive antemortem diagnosis of canine cuterebrosis in the central nervous system.