Neurocysticercosis in a dog

ABSTRACT: Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a parasitic disease of the central nervous system in humans caused by Taenia solium metacestodes, also known as Cysticercus cellulosae. However, cerebral infections caused by metacestodes in companion animals are rare. This study described the pathological and parasitological aspects of NCC in one dog. An 8-year-old female Boxer dog from Lavras City, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, with a history of access to rural areas on weekends and acute clinical signs of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, including limb stiffness (spasticity), labored breathing, consciousness, and progression to rhythmic jerking of the limbs, was submitted for necropsy at the Veterinary Pathology Sector of the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA). At necropsy, three parasitic cysts were found in the cortical region of the cerebral hemispheres, and calcified cysts were found in the myocardium. The diagnosis was based on parasite morphology after cyst dissection and scanning electron microscopy. The T solium metacestoda appears as a semi-translucent vesicle with a protoscolex containing a rostellum with hooks arranged in two rows, forming a double crown and four suckers. These findings demonstrated that; although rare, NCC should be considered in dogs with clinical signs of seizures, especially in geographical areas with a high prevalence of parasitism and warrants surveillance for this disease.