An 18-month-old neutered male labradoodle was treated with surgical debridement for maxillary osteomyelitis and sequestrum formation. Histopathologic findings of the necrotic bone were consistent with Cryptococcus subspecies, confirmed with latex agglutination serum titer testing. The patient responded to a combination of fluconazole and surgical debridement and was titer negative after 8 months of medical therapy. The patient never exhibited signs of systemic illness which is commonly reported with cryptococcosis. Cryptococcus subspecies infection in dogs in the Pacific Northwest is part of an ongoing outbreak in the region, first reported in 2001, and is associated with specific risk factors. This is the first published case of oral cryptococcosis from primary inoculation.
Manfra-MarrettaSLommerM. Management of maxillofacial osteonecrosis. In: VerstraeteFJMLommerM, eds. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Dogs and Cats. Elsevier;2012:519–524.
2.
StepaniukK. Bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaws: a review. J Vet Dent. 2011;28(4):277–281.
3.
Assouline-DayanYChangCGreenspanAShoenfeldYGershwinME. Pathogenesis and natural history of osteonecrosis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2002;32(2):94–124.
4.
Manfra-MarrettaSBrineESmithCWDeBowesLEibertMKlippertL. Idiopathic mandibular and maxillary osteomyelitis and bone sequestra in cocker spaniels. Proc Vet Dent Forum. 1997;119.
5.
LeeL.Inflammatory lesions of the Jaws. In: WhiteSCPharoahMJ, eds. Oral Radiology, Principles and Interpretation. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby;2004:374–380.
6.
CazziniPCamusMSGarnerB. Pathology in practice. Cryptococcal osteomyelitis in a dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2013;242(8):1079–1081.
7.
DuncanCStephenCLesterSBartlettKH. Follow-up study of dogs and cats with asymptomatic Cryptococcus gattii infection or nasal colonization. Med Mycol. 2005;43(7):663–666.
8.
LesterSJMalikRBartlettKHDuncanCG. Cryptococcosis: update and emergence of Cryptococcus gattii. Vet Clin Pathol. 2011;40(1):4–17.
9.
SykesJMalikR. Cryptococcus. In: GreeneCE, ed. Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 4th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier;2013:621–634.
10.
ByrnesEJBildfellRJDearingPLValentineBAHeitmanJ. Cryptococcus gattii with bimorphic colony types in a dog in Western Oregon: additional evidence for expansion of the Vancouver Island outbreak. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2009;21(1):133–136.
11.
BurnsREMohrFC. Pathology in practice. Severe chronic multifocal to coalescing granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis, rhinitis and sinusitis, with intralesional yeasts consistent with Cryptococcus spp. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010;236(10):1069–1070.
12.
DuncanCGStephenCCampbellJ. Evaluation of risk factors for Cryptococcus gattii infection in dogs and cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006;228(3):377–382.
13.
DuncanCStephenCCampbellJ. Clinical characteristics and predictors of mortality for Cryptococcus gattii infection in dogs and cats of southwestern British Columbia. Can Vet J. 2006;47(10):993–998.
14.
BrocklebankJ. Canine Cryptococcus neoformans. Can Vet J. 1997;38(11):724.
15.
BuraccoPGalloMG. Localizzazione ossea apparentemente primaria di Cryptococcus neoformans in un cane (apparently primary localization of Cryptococcus neoformans in a dog). J Vet (Cremona). 1988;2(3):99–106.
16.
BrearleyMJJefferyN. Cryptococcal osteomyelitis in a dog. J Small Anim Pract. 1992;33(12):601–604.
17.
DiNardoASchmidtDMitchellAKaufmanYTweardyDJ. First description of oral Cryptococcus neoformans causing osteomyelitis of the mandible, manubrium and third rib with associated soft tissue abscesses in an immunocompetent host. Clin Microbiol Case Rep. 2015;1(3):017.
18.
SingerLMeyerWFiracativeCThompsonGR3rdSamitzESykesJE. Antifungal drug susceptibility and phylogenetic diversity among Cryptococcus isolates from dogs and cats in North America. J Clin Microbiol. 2014;52(6):2061–2070.
19.
BryanHMDarimontCTPaquetPC. Exposure to infectious agents in dogs in remote coastal British Columbia: possible sentinels of diseases in wildlife and humans. Can J Vet Res. 2011;75(1):11–17.
