Urinary incontinence associated with Mesocestoides vogae infection in a dog

Peritoneal larval cestodiasis caused by Mesocestoides spp. is a rare infection in dogs. A 6-year-old female dog was presented for veterinary care with urinary incontinence which started 1 year earlier. After performing hematology, ultrasound, and computerized tomography, an exploratory laparotomy revealed canine peritoneal larval cestodiasis (CPLC) with the presence of Mesocestoides vogae (syn. Mesocestoides corti) tetrathyridia confirmed by morphological identification and PCR and DNA sequencing. Parasitic cysts were found around the urinary bladder and appeared to inhibit its normal function. An initial treatment with 5 mg/kg praziquantel subcutaneously every 2 weeks for four treatments failed to alleviate the clinical signs, and only treatment with fenbendazole at 100 mg/kg P.O. twice daily for 28 days was associated with the disappearance of ascites and regaining of urinary control. This is the first report of CPLC associated with urinary incontinence in dogs and the first description of this cyclophyllidean cestode in dogs in Israel.