What is your diagnosis? Lymph node cytology from a dog

Abstract

A 2-year-old, castrated male, mixed-breed dog was presented to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center with swelling, edema, ulceration, and draining tracts in the region surrounding the left hock. The dog had mild monocytosis and moderate hyperglobulinemia. Fine-needle aspirate specimens of the left popliteal lymph node revealed pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis with hyphal organisms. The diameters of the hyphae were variable, ranging from 11 to 22 microm. The organism was considered as most consistent with Lagenidium caninum; although Pythium insidiosum or Lagenidium karlingii were not conclusively excluded, hyphal diameter in these organisms is typically smaller (6.6-8.8 and 2.5-11 microm, respectively). A positive Western blot confirmed the presence of serum antibodies reactive against Lagenidium sp. and the absence of antibodies to P. insidoisum, Basidiobolus, and Conidiobolus antibodies. Careful assessment of hyphal diameter in cytologic specimens may be useful in differentiating L. caninum from P. insidiosum or L. karlingii.