Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with persistent low platelets had bartonellosis and babesiosis
By Tuttle, Allison D et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2003·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Concurrent bartonellosis and babesiosis in a dog with persistent thrombocytopenia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old West Highland White Terrier was brought in for collapsing episodes and was found to have low platelet counts and mild anemia. Initially, the dog was diagnosed with a Bartonella infection and treated with antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs, but the low platelet count did not improve. After five months, a blood test revealed a Babesia infection, which is another type of blood parasite. The dog was treated with a medication called imidocarb dipropionate specifically for babesiosis, and this successfully resolved the low platelet count.
People also search for: dog collapsing episodes · West Highland White Terrier low platelet count · babesiosis treatment in dogs
Abstract
A 12-year-old castrated male West Highland White Terrier was referred because of recurrent episodes of collapsing. The dog was mildly anemic and severely thrombocytopenic and had high serum alanine aminotransferase activity. Infection with Bartonella vinsonii (berkhoffii) was initially diagnosed on the basis of serologic testing. Despite treatment with a series of antimicrobials and prolonged use of immunosuppressive drugs, thrombocytopenia persisted. After 5 months of treatment, Babesia canis organisms were seen during examination of a direct blood smear. The dog was treated with imidocarb dipropionate for babesiosis, after which thrombocytopenia resolved, and administration of immunosuppressive drugs was discontinued. Retrospective review of blood smears failed to identify organisms; however, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of multiple stored blood samples obtained during the 5-month period of persistent thrombocytopenia identified DNA of B. canis vogeli. Babesiosis may cause persistent, unexplained thrombocytopenia in dogs that are not anemic. A PCR assay can facilitate a diagnosis of babesiosis when organisms are not evident or when serologic testing fails to detect Babesia-specific antibodies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14621218/