Abstract

A 3.6-year-old neutered female labrador retriever was presented with one month’s history of left hindlimb lameness and a five-day history of anorexia. A severe osteolytic and osteoproductive polyostotic bone lesion affecting the proximal aspect of the tibia and the distal aspect of the femur was seen on radiographs. Histopathological evaluation confirmed cellulitis, myositis, neutrophilic osteomyelitis and bone necrosis and culture revealed a pure growth of β-haemolytic Listeria species. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of osteomyelitis caused by Listeria species in a dog without any identified primary cause of infection.