Neospora Positive 16wk Puppy

[JAJ]

I have a friend who has had a sick Neo Mastiff Puppy. The puppy developed hind leg weakness which progressed quickly over 4 days. They took her to their local vet who quickly referred them onto a specialist who ran a series of tests and to cut a long story short the puppy has been tested positive for Neosporosis. Has anyone had the bad luck to have had first hand experienc with Neospora and if so what was the outcome?

[Bullbreedlover]

I have heard of a case back in NZ but that was quite awhile ago

Here is some info I copied and pasted although I am sure google has been working overtime with your friend.

The best of luck. How old is the puppy? Do you think it may of contracted it by eating raw meat or possible transmission from the bitch?

Neosporosis treatment for dogs

Unfortunately, the knowledge of Neosporosis in dogs and other animals is very limited. Many vets have however successfully used Clindamycin, Sulfadiazine, and Pyrimethamine to treat Neosporosis. In some situations, a combination of these compounds will be necessary. If the Neosporosis has reached the stage where the do experiences muscle contracture or rapidly advancing paralysis, the available Neosporosis treatments are not very efficient.

Adult dogs and puppies that has reached an age of 16 weeks are known to respond better to Neosporosis treatment than young puppies.

Neosporosis prevention

Infected bitches can transmit Neosporosis to her pups via the placenta and should therefore not be used for breeding. There is no known medication capable of preventing a bitch from transmitting Neosporosis if she is used for breeding.

In order to prevent serious Neosporosis, all dogs should be treated as soon as a vet has diagnosed Neosporosis in one of the litter mates.

Raw meet can contain Neospora caninum – especially beef.

There is unfortunately no vaccine against Neospora caninum and Neosporosis.

[JAJ]

I have heard of a case back in NZ but that was quite awhile ago

Here is some info I copied and pasted although I am sure google has been working overtime with your friend.

The best of luck. How old is the puppy? Do you think it may of contracted it by eating raw meat or possible transmission from the bitch?

Neosporosis treatment for dogs

Unfortunately, the knowledge of Neosporosis in dogs and other animals is very limited. Many vets have however successfully used Clindamycin, Sulfadiazine, and Pyrimethamine to treat Neosporosis. In some situations, a combination of these compounds will be necessary. If the Neosporosis has reached the stage where the do experiences muscle contracture or rapidly advancing paralysis, the available Neosporosis treatments are not very efficient.

Adult dogs and puppies that has reached an age of 16 weeks are known to respond better to Neosporosis treatment than young puppies.

Neosporosis prevention

Infected bitches can transmit Neosporosis to her pups via the placenta and should therefore not be used for breeding. There is no known medication capable of preventing a bitch from transmitting Neosporosis if she is used for breeding.

In order to prevent serious Neosporosis, all dogs should be treated as soon as a vet has diagnosed Neosporosis in one of the litter mates.

Raw meet can contain Neospora caninum – especially beef.

There is unfortunately no vaccine against Neospora caninum and Neosporosis.

Thanks for the information. Yes she and I have researched it quite thorougly. They are unable to determine where it came from and I have suggested that she advise the breeder to get the entire litter tested. She also has an older dog that I thought may be worth testing as the specialist she is seeing is saying it can come from eating dirt, which to me means it may be able to lay dormaint in the soil... very scary thought really.

[KJ]

I had a Lab pup with neosporosis, a few years ago. At 10 weeks of age, her back legs became paralysed, she was responded quite well to medical treatment and with hydrothearapy (in the bath) she regained the use of her legs. She then suddenly became paralysed again and when she gave me "that look" I knew she could no longer fight and she was put to sleep at 12 weeks of age.

Hope you friends pup is ok!

[westiemum]

Friends of mine have a 12 year old westie who has recently come down with it. And similarly we have absolutely no idea where she has picked it up. She has very little use of her back legs now.

And because it is so rare here and even rarer in older dogs, it took sometime and a vet then a specialist to diagnose, along with MRIs and spinal fluid evaluation ($$$).

With drugs, the paralysis appears to have halted at her back legs for the moment. She is using a doggie wheel chair her parents imported from a terrific company in the US with great success - 'Walkin' Wheels' (5 days from order to arrival in Adelaide from the east coast of the US) .

But the longer-term prognosis is not good - we genuinely have no idea how long she has . So sorry to be the bearer of bad news but everything I've read on this wretched thing points to poor outcomes. Good luck.