Severe heartworm disease in two dogs cured by an alternative therapy

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to describe two cases of heartworm disease in dogs presented with ascites and dyspnea. A diagnosis of mixed infection with both Dirofilaria immitis (D. immitis) and Dirofilaria repens (D. repens) was established in the first case, while D. immitis was detected in the other dog. Based on clinical, parasitological, laboratory and radiographic examinations, the diagnosis of severe stage heartworm disease (HWD) was established because both dogs were in heart failure due to HWD. An alternative therapeutic protocol with combined doxycycline and ivermectin was used as an antiparasitic treatment in both cases. No microfilariae were detected after 30 and 60 days, and no antigen to D. immitis was detected after 8 and 12 months in the first and second case, respectively. Based on the clinical examinations and parasitological testing performed, the two dogs were considered cured of HWD by this alternative therapy.

Dog heartworm disease is here to stay: The most important aspects of clinical relevance

“…Melarsomine is not registered in Serbia, so alternative therapy consisting of doxycycline and ivermectin in different application regimes is widely used (Spasojević Kosić et al 2020;Milojković et al, 2016;Stepanović et al, 2015;Spasojević Kosić et al, 2014b;. We have been studying effects of alternative therapy consisting of doxycycline and ivermectin (Spasojević Kosić et al, 2020;2014b; in dogs naturally infected with D. immitis for ten years and have come to the conclusion that the majority of treated dogs have no mf after one month of the therapy, while all initially microfilariaemic dogs have no more mf after 90 days' therapy. Similar results were shown in another study (Grandi et al, 2010).…”

“…The alternative therapy was effective even in cases of severe HWD, as two dogs with heart failure (stage 3 HWD) were successfully cured (Spasojević Kosić et al, 2020). More promising results come from a monthly dose of moxidectin in combination with 30 days of doxycycline.…”

“…Although the first cases of HWD in Serbia were reported as a result of a necropsy in 1989 (Milosavljević and Kulišić, 1989), it was not until the beginning of this century that interest in this disease increased. Since then, many surveys have been reported on different subjects such as prevalence, seroprevalence, diagnostic procedures, therapy and molecular characterization of D. immitis, as well as reports of clinical cases of HWD in naturally infected dogs (Spasojević Kosić et al, 2020;2018;2016a;2016b;2014a;2014b;2014c;2012a;Potkonjak et al, 2020;Krstić et al, 2017;Pavlović et al 2014;2012;Savić et al, 2014;2012;Gabrielli et al, 2012;Pajković et al, O n L i n e F i r s t 2010; Tasić et al 2008). D. immitis was reported not only in dogs, but in wild animals and mosquitoes in Serbia as well, so a number of animal species serve as reservoirs for the parasite in our country (Gavrilović et al, 2019;Kurucz et al, 2016;Gavrilović et al, 2015;Penezić et al, 2014), which highlights the necessity for both monitoring and controlling the disease's transmission by vectors.…”