Aspergillosis of a dog genital tract—Case report

• Published in: Animal reproduction science 2009-05, Vol.112 (1), p.164-171
• Main Authors: Siemieniuch, Marta J., Skarzynski, Dariusz J., Kozdrowski, Roland
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination - therapeutic use; animal pathogenic fungi; Animals; antibiotics; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Aspergillosis; Aspergillosis - veterinary; Aspergillus; Breeding; case studies; copulation; disease transmission; dog diseases; Dog Diseases - drug therapy; Dog Diseases - microbiology; Dog semen; Dogs; Female; females; fungal spores; Genital Diseases, Male - drug therapy; Genital Diseases, Male - microbiology; Genital Diseases, Male - veterinary; hyphae; Hyphae - isolation & purification; Itraconazole - therapeutic use; itraconzaole; Male; male fertility; male genital diseases; males; pathogen shedding; Penicillium; Pregnancy; pyometra; Reproduction; semen; Semen - microbiology; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility
• ISSN: 0378-4320; 1873-2232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2008.04.020

The information about aspergillosis locations in the reproductive organ is scarce. This short paper deals with aspergillosis in the dog genital tract with hyphae present in semen. There are two therapy schemes used in visceral mycoses, non-invasive treatment and surgical intervention. Considering the future reproductive career of the dog, we decided on antifungal drugs administration. Based on the microbiological results, we administered amoxycillin with clavulonate (Synulox ® 500 mg, twice daily) orally. Itraconazole was used as an antimycological agent (Orungal ®, 100 mg, twice daily) every other week. In 8th week of therapy no Aspergillus spp. growth was noted, yet slight Penicillium growth was observed. After 12 weeks of treatment, no fungus growth was present. Neither spores or hyphae were seen in the microscopic examination. Three months after the termination of the therapy, the dog mated with two females. In one case, unifetal pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasound examination on day 42 after mating. Due to purulent discharge on day 45 after mating, the owner decided to terminate the pregnancy. In the other case, severe pyometra appeared 12 days after the second mating and the owner decided to put the female to sleep. The pathogen eradication from the ejaculates may be treated as a serious success, yet the lack of litters after mating calls for an explanation and consequences of Aspergillus spp. infection need to be considered.