Toxocariosis accompanied with conjunctivitis, scabies, thrombocytopenia in a domestic cat

Abstract

Toxocariasis, conjunctivitis, and scabies are common health issues in cats and are caused by nematode worms, viral or bacterial infections, and mites, respectively. This article reports a case involving a two-month-old female domestic cat named Jeni, who was brought to the veterinarian due to complaints of diarrhea, eye discharge, itching, skin lesions, and hair loss. Laboratory examinations revealed the presence of Toxocara cati eggs through faecal analysis using native and flotation methods, bacteria from a cytological examination of conjunctival smears later identified as Staphylococcus sp. through bacterial culture, and Sarcoptes scabiei from superficial skin scraping. A complete blood count showed leukocytosis, lymphocytosis, monocytosis, granulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and hypochromic anemia. The patient was diagnosed with toxocariasis, conjunctivitis, scabies, and thrombocytopenia, with a guarded prognosis. Treatment included the administration of pyrantel pamoate, kaolin-pectin, chloramphenicol, dexamethasone eye drops, ivermectin, diphenhydramine HCl, and multivitamin syrup. Despite four days of treatment, the cat did not survive and died, after which an autopsy was performed. Gross pathological changes included intestinal and pulmonary hemorrhage, while histopathological examination revealed congestion and necrosis in the bronchioles, as well as hemorrhage and edema in the lungs. Necrosis was also found in the intestinal villi and crypts of Lieberkühn, supporting the diagnosis of toxocariasis, with suspected Toxocara cati larval migration to the lungs.