Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Babesia canis rossi infection in a Texas dog with lethargy
By Allison, Robin W et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2011·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Babesia canis rossi infection in a Texas dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old Boerboel puppy imported from South Africa was brought to a Texas vet because he was very tired, not eating, and having trouble breathing. Tests showed he had a fever, low red blood cell count, and signs of a blood infection caused by a parasite called Babesia canis rossi. The vet treated him with a medication called imidocarb, and after two weeks, follow-up tests showed that the infection was gone. This case is notable as it was the first reported instance of this specific parasite in the United States.
People also search for: puppy lethargy and not eating · Boerboel breathing problems · Babesia canis treatment for dogs
Abstract
A 5-month-old intact male Boerboel dog, imported from South Africa 1 week previously, was presented to a Texas veterinarian for lethargy, anorexia, and labored breathing. The dog was febrile, anemic, leukopenic, thrombocytopenic, and slightly azotemic. Results of the IDEXX SNAP-4Dx enzyme immunoassay were negative for Dirofilaria immitis antigen and antibodies against Ehrlichia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. An EDTA blood sample analyzed at Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences revealed nonregenerative anemia, neutropenia, and large protozoal piroplasms in 0.7% of the RBCs. Piroplasms were 2-5μm long and varied in shape from round to oval to piriform; extracellular merozoites were also observed. Nested PCR was performed on DNA extracted from blood using primers that amplify the 18s rRNA gene from all known Babesia species, and the product was sequenced. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis of the 437 base sequence revealed 99-100% similarity to Babesia canis rossi, 92-93% similarity to Babesia canis canis, and 92% similarity to Babesia canis vogeli. The dog responded well to treatment with imidocarb. PCR analysis of a second blood sample 2 weeks later was negative for Babesia spp. DNA. This case represents the first diagnosis of B. canis rossi infection in the United States.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21790699/