Diagnosis and treatment of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infestation in cats - case report

Abstract

Studies on Aelurostrongylus abstrusus infestation in domestic cats are limited, both for Europe and globally. Diagnosis is quite laborious and often the infestation is not included in the differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases, a fact which leads to a late diagnosis that endangers the life of the animal, even causing its death. In case of massive infestation, respiratory symptoms are complemented by a diarrhoeal syndrome and anorexia. In June 2023 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Iasi, Romania, a cat (common breed, male, aged 1 year and 4 months) came with respiratory symptoms, chronic cough, shortness of breath, mucopurulent nasal discharge, accelerated breathing and loss of appetite. The cat had previously been treated for chronic bronchitis. Radiological interpretation was of an intensified interstitial lung pattern with nodular and bronchial appearance, compatible with chronic micro-bronchitis. The first diagnosis was pneumonia, but following symptomatic treatment the results were not satisfactory. Following coproparasitological examination the result was infestation with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and antiparasitic treatment was instituted.