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.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.