Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with low blood pressure shock after Babesia canis infection
By Freeman, M J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1994·Department of Medical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hypotensive shock syndrome associated with acute Babesia canis infection in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Doberman Pinscher developed severe weakness, fever, and low blood pressure after receiving a blood transfusion from a Greyhound. The dog was diagnosed with babesiosis, an infection caused by the Babesia canis parasite, which was detected shortly after the transfusion. Treatment with a medication called imidocarb dipropionate successfully eliminated the infection and improved the dog's condition. This case highlights the need for better screening of blood donors, especially retired racing Greyhounds, to prevent similar infections in the future.
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Abstract
A Doberman Pinscher contracted babesiosis after receiving a fresh blood transfusion from a Greyhound blood donor. Hypotensive shock syndrome was suspected on the basis of arterial hypotension, weakness, and pyrexia in the absence of detectable hemolysis and within hours of detection of low numbers of circulating Babesia canis organisms. Treatment with imidocarb dipropionate appears to have been effective in eliminating circulating B canis organisms and clinical disease. The blood donor, recently acquired from a race track, was healthy and lacked any abnormalities on initial laboratory evaluation; however, its serum antibody titer for B canis was > 1:5,000; B canis organisms were later identified on blood smears after the dog had been splenectomized and treated with corticosteroids at an immunosuppressive dosage. This case draws attention to a potential problem in current screening practices for infectious diseases of retired racing Greyhounds intended for use as blood donors.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8125828/