Bulletin "Veterinary biotechnology"

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Veterynarna biotekhnolohiia– Veterinary biotechnology, 2023, 43, 53-61 [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/10.31073/vet_biotech43-06

KATYUKHA S.M., e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., KRIVOSHIA P.YU., e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Experimental station of epizootology of the IF

 

CLINICAL AND PATHOGENETIC FEATURES OF BABEZIOSIS IN DOGS

Introduction. Babesiosis, caused by Babesia canis, is a common disease of dogs that still causes significant economic losses to service dog breeding and animal owners. It is known, the vector of the causative agent of this invasion is ticks of the Ixodidae family, as an obligatory link of the epizootic chain “pathogen–vector–aimal”.The disease is often manifests by a severe course, and, in the case of untimely treatment or its absence, it often leads to the animal’s death. To date, the following issues are insufficiently studied: pathology arising from the parasite-host relationship; mechanisms that suppress the growth and development of the pathogen in the body; poorly developed chemoprophylaxis. In addition, treatment for babesiosis requires the use of etiotropic and pathogenetic therapy that affect various mechanisms of the pathological process.

The goal of the work. To investigate the peculiarities of the course of babesiosis in dogs based on the analysis of clinical and laboratory studies.

Materials and methods. The research was conducted at the Research Station of Epizootology of the Institute of Fisheries of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in the Laboratory of Experimental and Analytical Research Methods and the Veterinary Clinic of the institution in 2023. Clinical signs of babesiosis were studied in dogs (n=36) of different ages, breeds and sexes, which were admitted to the veterinary clinic, according to generally accepted methods. We used hematological methods: examination of peripheral blood smears, morphological and biochemical studies to confirm the diagnosis.

Results of research and discussion. Among 36 dogs with a diagnosis of babesiosis, there were 10 animals under the age of 1 year(27,8%), from 1 to 5 years – 18 animals (50,0%), and over 5 years – 8 animals (22,2%). According to our data, in 83,3% of sick animals, the destruction of red blood cells leads to a significant decrease in their number in the blood and is accompanied by a low level of hemoglobin (88,9%). The number of erythrocytes decreased to an average of 2,83±0,12 T/l, and the amount of hemoglobin to 41,78±1,56 g/l, which leads to the development of anemia of the hemolytic type. During the acute course of babesiosis, slight signs of leukocytosis up to 17,35±0,48 G/l was established (30,6%). In the first days of the disease, a short-term predominance of eosinophils was recorded – on average up to 12,63±0,87% (27,8%), and also shift to the left – to immature forms of neutrophils on average 8,54±0,62% (55,6%), which later changes to segmented neutrophils (16,7%). Lymphocytosis develops in 55,6% of dogs with an average value of 56,23±0,67%. A decrease in the total number of leukocytes up to 4,83±0,48 G/l was registered in animals with a chronic course of the disease (63,9%). The results of biochemical studies of blood serum allowed to establish an increase in the level of total protein to 98,35±0,42 g/l in 63,9% of dogs, and in 58,3% of dogs an increase in the activity of enzymes was registered with average indicators: AST – 81,62±0,41 Units/l and ALT – 98,31±0,56 Units/l.

Conclusions and prospects for further research. Dogs of various breeds and sex-age groups are susceptible to babesiosis, mainly at the age of 1–5 years – 50,0%. The main clinical signs of babesiosis in dogs are food refusal (97,2%), hyperthermia (91,7%), lethargy (77,8%), abdominal pain (72,2%), hemoglobinuria (69,4%), anemia of the mucous membranes (58,3%), vomiting (47,2%), weakness of the pelvic limbs (41,7%), tachypnea (36,1%) and jaundice of the mucous membranes (22,2%). The most characteristic deviations in the morphological and biochemical parameters of the blood for babesiosis in dogs are leukocytosis (30,6%), the presence of young neutrophils (55,6%), erythropenia (83,3%), hemoglobinemia (88,9%), increased bilirubin (52,8%), AST and ALT (58,3%), total protein (63,9%).

In the future, it is planned to study effective methods of treating babesiosis in dogs.

Keywords: babesiosis, clinical symptoms, hematological analysis, pathogenesis.

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