title: Epidural dirofilariosis in a paraparetic cat: case report of Dirofilaria immitis infection.
abstract: A 6-year-old neutered female cat was examined for chronic and progressive pelvic limb ataxia that progressed to non-ambulatory paraparesis over 1 month. Haematological and serum analyses were mainly within normal ranges. Thoracic and abdominal radiographs did not reveal any morphological abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging investigation of the thoraco-lumbar spine demonstrated a well-defined, extradural mass that extended into the epidural space from the L2 to L3 vertebral bodies and expanded in the L2 to L3 left intervertebral foramen. During surgery, a long, narrow, white parasite which was weakly adherent to the phlogistic epidural fat tissue was gently removed from the spinal canal. Histological examination of the pathological tissue supported a diagnosis of epidural steatitis surrounding a female adult Dirofilaria immitis. This is a novel case of natural D immitis infection with spinal localisation in a cat, well documented with magnetic resonance investigation, and cytological and histological examinations, introducing a novel differential diagnosis for extradural spinal masses in cats.
authors.affiliation: 1Neurovet Professional Association, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Favole
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cauduro
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Opreni
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zanzani
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Albonico
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantile
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lorenzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002415:Cats; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000473:pathology*; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*