Treatment of canine nasal aspergillosis/penicilliosis with fluconazole (UK‐49,858)

Abstract

Fluconazole was given orally at dose rates of 2.5 mg/kg to five dogs, and at 5.0 mg/kg in a further five dogs, to treat naturally occurring rhinitis/sinusitis caused by Aspergillus or Penicillium species. Infection was confirmed in all dogs by clinical, radiological, rhinoscopical, serological and mycological examination. Treatment was well tolerated. Infection was eliminated in two dogs with penicilliosis, two dogs with aspergillosis, and two dogs where the organism was identified as either Aspergillus or Penicilliurn species on the basis of immunohistochemical labelling. These six dogs were disease free at reexamination, and have remained so over a median follow-up period of 27 months.

Antifungal agents of use in animal health – practical applications

“…Fluconazole at oral doses of 2.5–5 mg/kg is effective for treatment of canine nasal aspergillosis (Sharp et al ., 1991) although the success rate was lower compared with topical enilconazole.…”

Topical treatment of mycotic rhinitis-rhinosinusitis in dogs with meticulous debridement and 1% clotrimazole cream: 64 cases (2007–2014)

“…Clinical improvement was observed in 20 of 47 and 6 of 10 of dogs that were treated with oral antifungal agents. 5,6 Topical antifungal agents (enilconazole, clotrimazole, bifonazole) are available in various formulations (eg, creams or solutions with various concentrations of the active compounds). These are administered directly into the nasal cavity, frontal sinuses, or both through means such as surgically implanted indwelling catheters in the frontal sinuses, 7 temporary trephination of the frontal sinuses, [8][9][10][11][12] temporary frontal sinus catheters placed under endoscopic guidance, [13][14][15] or temporary catheters placed blindly…”

The Respiratory System

“…23,24 Systemic therapy using ketoconazole (5 to 10 mg/kg PO bid), itraconazole (5 mg/kg PO sid), fluconazole (5 mg/kg PO sid), or thiabendazole (10 mg/kg PO bid) for 6 to 8 weeks appears to be less efficacious. [24][25][26] Cryptococcosis is rhinotropic to the nasal cavity in geriatric cats. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen and feline immunodeficiency virus antibody tests are usually negative in cats with cryptococcosis restricted to the nasal cavity, but cats with disseminated disease may be infected with feline immunodeficiency virus.…”