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Copyright: The authors. This article is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.

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Research (Published online: 04-03-2014)

2. Clinico-biochemical responses of dogs to experimental infection with Babesia canis

M. Konto, A. A. Biu, M. I. Ahmed, A. W. Mbaya and J. Luka

Veterinary World, 7(3): 113-118

 

doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.113-118

 

 

 

 

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Abstract

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Aim: A study on the clinical and biochemical parameters of Nigerian dogs experimentally infected with Babesia canis was conducted.
Materials and Methods: A total of ten naive dogs of both sex and aged between 6 months to 1 year, were used for the study. They were divided into two groups of five each- A (control) and B (infected). Dogs in group B were infected with 1ml of Babesia canis positive infectious inoculum, while those in group A were left as uninfected control. Following infection, clinical and biochemical responses were analyzed in group B and compared with those in group A.
Results: Clinical signs were observed on the infected dogs 2 days post infection, which included fever (100%), increase in pulse (80%), tachycardia (60%) and inappetence (100%); followed by anorexia (40%) and lethargy (100%) on day 3; on the fourth day, pallor of the mucous membrane of the mouth and eye (100%) and emaciation (100%); on day five, muscle tremor (20%) and respiratory distress (20%); on day six, nervousness (20%), drooling salivation (20%) and haemoglobinuria (80); on day seven, mucoid ocular discharge (40%); followed by the death of one dog on day 8 post infection. Other clinical signs recorded between days 1-14 post infection were ascites, edematous swelling of the whole body and hair erection. The biochemical changes showed that there was a significant (p < 0.05) rise in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values in infected dogs (58.50±1.4) compared with the control group (51.67±1.6). Also, there was a significant rise (p < 0.05) in the alanine amino transferase (ALT) values of infected group (15.70±1. 8) compared with the control values (8.27±2.0). However, the mean values for creatinine of infected group (78.10±1.2) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the control (91.73±1.3). Similarly, the glucose levels for infected group (3.80±2.3) were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of control (5.35±2.1).
Conclusion: It can be concluded that the disease runs an acute as well as a chronic course in the study area and that Diminazene aceturate at a dose rate of 0.3mg/kg body proved effective against parasitaemia within two weeks post chemotherapy.
Keywords: Babesia canis, biochemical, clinical, dogs, experimental infection, West Africa.

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