Occurrence of Canine Babesiosis on the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande, From 2007 to 2008
World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress Proceedings, 2009
A.R.F. Fernandes; C.M.F. Melo; E.D. Santos; E.C. Lustosa; L.P.N.S. Freire; E.S. Dantas; A.P. Souza
Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, Brazil

The canine babesiosis is an important blood parasitic disease, constant in the routine of the Small Animals Clinic, taking clinical states that threatens the animal health. Therefore, this study had as objective to evaluate the occurrence of this disease in the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande, Patos, Paraíba, from 2007 to 2008, register the annual distribution and prevalence as to sex, age and association with other blood parasitic diseases. The study was based on records obtained on the Medical Clinic of Small Animals in the Veterinary Hospital of all the attended dogs, from January of 2007 to October of 2008. Then, were selected the animals that had the confirmed diagnosis of babesiosis for the Panoptic test. The animals were distributed according to the age (< 12 months, 12-48 months and > 48 months), gender and association with other blood parasitic diseases. 9.05% (245 cases) from the 2707 analyzed animals, presented positive result to the presence of Babesia sp. The distribution of cases during the period was irregular, with the majority of cases occurring between the months of March to May. In relation to age, the greater prevalence was observed in animals up to 12 months of age (54.28%), followed by animals of 12-48 months (34.29%) and above 48 months (11.43%). The most positive animals were males (59.18%) in relation to the number of females (40.82%). In relation to the association with other hemoparasites, found greater occurrence with Anaplasma platys (4.48%) in relation to the association with Ehrlichia canis (1.63%). From the hematological values analyzed in the 245 positive dogs for the illness, were obtained an average on the erythrocytes count of 4.9x106/µL, with hematocrit presenting 31.3% of average, typical of the disease which leads to expressions of anemia of hemolytic type. Already the platelet count presented an average of 401 thousand/mm3, although was within the normality standards, is dependent on the stage of infection. It is concluded that young animals have a greater rate of infection and that the association with other hemoparasites tend to make the illness more severe, having the need to adopt prophylactic measures in the control of the host vector common to both blood parasitic diseases.

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A.R.F. Fernandes
Federal University of Campina Grande
Patos, ParaĆ­ba, Brazil


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