Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Canine babesiosis signs and causes in France by season
By René-Martellet, M et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2013·Université, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical signs, seasonal occurrence and causative agents of canine babesiosis in France: results of a multiregional study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in France showed signs of a serious tick-borne illness called canine babesiosis, which is caused by parasites that can lead to severe health issues. The most common symptoms included extreme tiredness, loss of appetite, and high fever, with many dogs also having pale gums and changes in their urine. Young dogs living in rural areas were particularly at risk. Blood tests confirmed that a significant number of these dogs were infected with the Babesia canis parasite. Understanding these symptoms can help pet owners recognize the disease early and seek prompt veterinary care.
People also search for: dog lethargy and fever · canine babesiosis symptoms · tick-borne diseases in dogs · young dog health issues · pale gums in dogs
Abstract
Canine babesiosis (or piroplasmosis) is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa of the genera Babesia and Theileria. In dogs, infection by these parasites usually induces a haemolytic syndrome that can be fatal when complicated. Canine babesiosis prevalence is high in France, with Babesia canis thought to be the main etiological agent of the disease. This article presents the results of a multiregional prospective longitudinal survey on canine babesiosis conducted in France from October 2006 to December 2007. A total of 836 cases were reported by veterinarians using a multiple choice questionnaire and blood samples from 70 dogs were analyzed using PCR-RFLP to identify species responsible for canine babesiosis cases across the country. The main clinical signs reported were lethargy (98%), anorexia (98%) and hyperthermia ≥ 39 °C (80%) followed by pale mucous membranes (54%), modification of urine aspect (45%) and splenomegaly (33%). The dog population at risk was mainly represented by young dogs living in rural areas. Twenty-five out of the 70 blood samples (36%) tested by diagnostic PCR were found to contain Babesia/Theileria genus-specific DNA and all had profiles similar to that of Babesia canis genomic DNA after restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. The survey results provide a reference for further molecular studies to assess the species and vectors involved in the transmission of the disease in France and across the Mediterranean basin.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23685063/