Ultrasonographic evaluation of the thorax in dogs with tick paralysis
Abstract
Tick paralysis is a rapidly progressing motor paralysis caused by a neurotoxin in the saliva of certain tick species. Delayed diagnosis can lead to increased mortality due to respiratory failure. Thus, the aim of this study is to describe thoracic ultrasonography lesions in dogs with tick paralysis and to identify potential patterns that could aid in diagnosis and prognosis prediction. The animal material consisted of 58 dogs in total, 10 of which were healthy and 48 of which were suspected to be affected by tick paralysis. Clinical, laboratory and thoracic ultrasonographic examinations were performed. Expiratory dyspnea with sinus tachycardia; fine crackles, polyphonic wheezing, and pleural rub on lung auscultation were observed in the tick–paralyzed dogs. The most common abnormal thoracic ultrasonography patterns were, in order of prevalence: B–lines > 3, wet lung, pulmonary nodule, confluent B–lines, loss of A–lines, consolidation, fibrosis, and isolated B–lines. In addition, the pleural thickness of the tick–paralyzed dogs was higher than that of the healthy ones. Among these findings, B–lines > 3 were interpreted as indicative of possible pulmonary parenchymal damage, while the loss of A–lines was attributed to decreased aeration. The presence of pulmonary nodule and fibrosis might be due to bronchopneumonia and aspiration pneumonia due to regurgitation. The wet lung pattern was associated with a predisposition to lung congestion. It was concluded that recognizing thoracic ultrasonography findings may assist in identifying the presence and grading the extent of lung damage, as well as determining the necessity of lung decongestion treatment in tick paralysis cases.
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