Meningomyelitis due to nematode infection in four cats

Abstract

Spinal cord parasitic migrations in cats are uncommon. This report describes four cases of chronic hindlimb paraparesis in cats associated with nematode infection. Complete neurologic, hematologic, serum chemistry and radiographic examination was performed on all animals. Computed tomographic (CT)-myelographic examination at the lumbar area in one cat showed a slight swelling of the spinal cord. Necropsy examination of the spinal cord revealed generalized edema and marked submeningeal hemorrhage at the thoracic region in three cats. On histopathologic examination, numerous sections of adult nematodes and eggs were present in histological sections of the affected spinal cord segments in all cats. The morphologic features of the nematode, location and appearance of the lesions suggest that the parasite responsible for the paralysis in these cats is Gurltia paralysans.