Veterinary Parasitology: The Practical Veterinarian - CX.com

226 Parasites of the Cardiopulmonary System
• Prepatent period is 3–6 weeks, depending on
species; may live up to 6 months.
Pathogenesis and Clinical Signs
• Usually inapparent; disease, when present, occurs
only in young pigs.
• Can cause bronchitis, hypersecretion of mucus, hypertrophy
of the bronchiolar musculature, and emphysema
leading to consolidation of the diaphragmatic lobes.
• Clinical signs primarily limited to coughing; may
also include dyspnea, cyanosis, inappetence, weight
loss, or decreased weight gain.
Diagnosis
ANTEMORTEM
• Eggs may be found on fecal flotation; eggs are dense
and flotation medium should have a specific gravity of
1.25 or greater (e.g., saturated magnesium sulfate).
• Eggs are ellipsoidal, rough-shelled, 45–60 × 38–42
μm, each containing a larva.
• In older animals, egg shedding is intermittent and
repeated fecal examinations may be necessary.
POSTMORTEM
• Adult worms are grayish white, 1.5–4.5 cm in length;
found by squeezing the incised areas of consolida-