NEOSPOROSIS

Neospora caninum, a protozoan parasite, is the causative agent of canine neosporosis.  The disease is most frequently seen in puppies and young dogs, typically causing a hind-limb paresis or ataxia, progressing to affect forelimbs, swallowing and breathing.  Rigid hyperextension develops in many cases.  Other clinical signs which have been reported are forelimb ataxia, head tremors, myocarditis and pneumonia.  The disease can prove fatal in young puppies often with several litter mates being affected; but some dogs respond to treatment, usually with clindamycin.  The life cycle of this parasite is not fully understood, however it is known that transplacental infection from subclinically infected bitches does occur and therefore can cause particular problems in breeding programmes.  Testing of breeding bitches is recommended.

Positive Neospora IFAT result                                 Tissue cyst of N.caninum

TESTAPET  IFAT test detects specific IgG antibodies to N. caninum.  Fluorescence at dilution of 1:50 is considered positive. Most clinical cases of neoporosis have titres of  > 1:800.

Sample        0.5ml serum / clotted blood 

TESTAPET  Inhibition ELISA detects specific IgG antibodies to N. caninum. Samples with a % inhibition value of > 10% are considered positive.

Sample        0.5ml serum / clotted blood