Disseminated cryptococcosis with ocular involvement in a dog

A case of disseminated cryptococcosis in a 2 yr old male Irish Setter with bilateral ocular involvement is described. The dog presented with a subcutaneous swelling of the neck in the pharyngeal area, depression, a dry cough, progressive loss of body weight and fever. Ophthalmic examination established the presence of chorioretinitis. A diagnosis of cryptococcosis was made ante mortem by examination of aspirates of the subcutaneous mass and smears of the cerebrospinal fluid both of which were positive for the characteristic blastospores and their wide mucinous capsule. The dog did not respond to antifungal therapy and was euthanized. Autopsy findings included focal lesions in several organs including the lung, liver, spleen, lymph nodes and kidneys. Patho anatomic alterations included focal granulomas in several organs including, in addition to those with gross lesions, the thyroid, brain and the eyes. Ocular involvement was bilateral with small granulomas containing organisms within the choroid, retina and iris. The meninges of the optic nerve were markedly involved with both diffuse and nodular granulomatous lesions containing numerous cryptococcal organisms, but the optic nerve was free of lesions.