Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with Babesia bigemina infection treated successfully on Mexican
By Bravo-Ramos, José Luis et al.·Published in Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria·2022·Laboratorio de Parasitologí·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: An atypical case of Babesia bigemina parasitising a dog from a rural area of eastern Mexico.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog from a cattle farm in eastern Mexico was brought to the vet showing signs of lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, pale gums, and blood in its urine. Tests revealed the presence of Babesia bigemina, a parasite that can affect both dogs and livestock. The dog was treated with imidocarb dipropionate, receiving two doses two weeks apart. By the seventh day of treatment, the dog's symptoms had mostly improved, and a follow-up test 30 days later showed no signs of the parasite. This case highlights that dogs can carry parasites that affect farm animals.
People also search for: dog lethargy and fever · Babesia bigemina in dogs · treatment for dog with blood in urine
Abstract
A dog that shared habitat with domestic animals in a cattle farm and that was exposed to wildlife was taken to a private practitioner for clinical examination. The analyses conducted on the patient revealed the presence of Babesia bigemina by a molecular test. Clinical signs such as lethargy, anorexia and hyperthermia > 39 °C, pale mucous membranes and blood urine were observed in the patient. The animal was treated with imidocarb dipropionate (two doses each 0.5 ml/10 kg b.w. at an interval of 14 days). On treatment day 7, the clinical signs were mostly reduced. On day 30, PCR was carried out to assess the efficacy of the treatment, with a negative result. This case represents the first report of babesiosis due to B. bigemina in a dog living on a cattle farm in Mexico. It indicates the lower host specify of these pathogens and that dogs can play a role as sentinels of vector-borne parasites in livestock animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35946613/