Canine babesiosis

The causative agents of canine babesiosis are Babesia canis and B. gibsoni which are transmitted by various hard tick species and blood transfusions. In the hyperacute form of the disease hypothermia, shock, severe metabolic acidosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation usually precede the death of the dog occuring in less than 24 hours. Severe anemia, icterus, splenomegaly and peripheral lymphadenopathy characterize the acute form of the disease. Intermittent fever and progressive loss of body weight may be noticed in the chronic form of babesiosis, while its many atypical clinical manifestations (e.g. ascites, gastrointestinal signs, CNS disease, subcutaneous edema, masticatory myositis) often cause diagnostic confusion. The organism detection on RBC in thin blood smears made from the buffy coat is a must for definitive diagnosis. The IFA test is a good choice for screening large numbers of dogs for detecting the asymptomatic carriers. Complete parasitological cure can be obtained with imidocarb dipropionate, pentamidine isethionate or diminazene aceturate, while metronidazole and clindamycin have been recently suggested as good alternatives. Supportive care is considered crucial for the survival of the severely affected animals. While effective tick control is the mainstay of prevention, doxycycline and imidocarb may also play a significant role to that goal. The effectiveness of a killed vaccine is still a matter of controversy.