CLINICO-THERAPEUTIC STUDIES ON NON-REGENERATIVE ANAEMIA IN DOGS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO Babesia gibsoni INFECTION
Loading...
Date
2022-11-28
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES MANNUTHY, THRISSUR, KERALA VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY
Abstract
The study titled “Clinico-therapeutic studies on non-regenerative anaemia in dogs with special reference to Babesia gibsoni infection” was conducted in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Ethics and Jurisprudence, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, during the period beginning June 2021 to April 2022. A total of 68 dogs presented with anaemia, pallor of mucous membranes, dullness and lethargy were screened for non-regenerative anaemia on the basis of reticulocyte count (<60,000 cells/µL). Among them, 40 dogs were identified with non-regenerative anaemia and 28 dogs with regenerative anaemia.The different etiological agents/ factors associated with non-regeneration in the study were Babesia gibsoni infection, Babesia canis, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis, chronic kidney disease, ancylostomosis, parvoviral infection, hepatic insufficiency, nasal tumour, acute myeloid leukemia and a case of haemolytic anaemia of unknown etiology. Among the 40 dogs, 20 were positive for B. gibsoni and were grouped together (NRA_BGIB). The remaining 20 dogs formed a highly heterogenous group and hence for better statistical comparison, these dogs were divided into three subgroups on the basis of etiology viz. nonregenerative anaemia associated with haemorrhage (NRA_HAEM), nonregenerative anaemia due to chronic kidney disease (NRA_CKD) and nonregenerative anaemia due to other blood parasites (NRA_OBP). Haematology revealed significant anaemia and thrombocytopenia in all the sub-groups. Serum total protein and albumin were similar in all the groups. Serum iron was significantly lower in NRA_HAEM group than the NRA_BGIB and healthy control. Serum iron was lower in NRA_CKD and NRA_OBP sub-groups. Total iron binding capacity was similar in all the subgroups. Percentage transferrin saturation was significantly lower in the NRA_HAEM subgroup than the healthy control. Twenty dogs positive for B. gibsoni by PCR were randomly divided into two groups (I & II) to evaluate efficacy of darbepoetin therapy. Animals of group Iwere administered clindamycin and doxycycline daily for three weeks. Animals of group II were given clindamycin and doxycycline as in group Ⅰ along with three doses of darbepoetin at weekly intervals. Response to therapy was evaluated on the
basis of clinical signs and haematological parameters. Marked improvement in clinical signs and haematological parameters was noticed in both the groups, but a statistically significant difference could not be found between groups.