Clinical and MRI findings of suspected cerebrospinal nematodiasis in an alpaca

Abstract

A 5‐year‐old alpaca was presented with a 2‐week history of progressive pelvic limb ataxia and paresis. Neurological examination localised the lesion to the thoracolumbar spinal cord. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical and thoracolumbar spine revealed no abnormalities; however, contrast‐enhanced sequences were not performed due to restrictions on drug use in farm animals. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed marked eosinophilic pleocytosis, supporting a presumptive diagnosis of cerebrospinal nematodiasis (CN). Antiparasitic and anti‐inflammatory therapy resulted in partial improvement, with neurological deficits persisting long‐term. This case illustrates the clinical features and diagnostic approach to CN in an alpaca, emphasising the value of MRI in excluding structural causes and its limitation in detecting small larval lesions. As alpacas gain prominence as companion and breeding animals, documentation of MRI findings is becoming increasingly valuable. To our knowledge, this is the first MRI evaluation in an alpaca with suspected CN.