Cryptococcosis with central nervous system involvement in a dog in the UK: a case report and review of the condition

Abstract

This case report describes the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatment and outcome in a dog diagnosed with diffuse cryptococcosis with involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). This represents the fourth case of cryptococcosis with CNS involvement in dogs described in the UK. The dog presented with signs of multifocal brain disorder; investigations, including magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and serology, revealed cryptococcosis. As previously reported, despite treatment, in our case the outcome was extremely poor. Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal disease distributed worldwide, which in dogs often causes disseminated disease with multi-organ involvement. Despite being rare in the UK, CNS cryptococcosis should be included as a possible differential diagnosis in healthy young to middle-aged dogs presenting with signs of diffuse, progressive central nervous system disease.