With the arrival of spring, we must reinforce the protection of our dog against the attack of parasites. And it is that their bites sometimes carry terrible consequences; a good example of this is the call Canine babesiosis, a disease transmitted by ticks through their saliva and that affects the animal's red blood cells, leading to their rupture.
In this way, the tick introduces a protozoan into the dog's body that strongly damages its blood, resulting in hemolytic anemia. There are two types of protozoa, Babesia canis and Babesia gibsoni, and there are several species of ticks that can be transmitters, although the most frequent is the common tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus).
After the bite, the incubation period of the disease is 10 to 21 days, although symptoms take longer to manifest due to the immune response presented by the dog. These signs include fever, decay, weight loss, anemia, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly.
These signs can manifest in different ways depending on the clinical picture that the animal presents. They are classified into three:
1. Hyperacute picture. It is the most serious, and can even lead to death. It is characterized by hypotensive shock that includes hypothermia, tissue hypoxia, and injuries to internal tissues and vessels.
2. Acute picture. It is the most frequent and its symptoms are anorexia, fever, yellowing of the mucous membranes (jaundice), presence of hemoglobin in the urine (hemoglobinuria) lethargy and lymphadenopathy.
3. Chronic picture. It is rare and is characterized by the onset of fever, anorexia, and weight loss.
Before any of these signs we must go to a veterinary clinic quickly. To make the diagnosis, the expert has to examine a blood sample under the microscope, trying to visualize the parasite; Once it has been verified its presence, it will initiate an appropriate treatment to the level of Babesiosis that the dog presents. The most common is the administration of imidocarb dipropionate injections every 15 days or so.
The best way to prevent this problem is protect our dog against insects by using pipettes, sprays, antiparasitic collars and vaccines. The vet will know how to tell us which is the best method for our pet.