Haematopathological insights into Babesia gibsoni infection in Chippiparai dogs

Abstract

The smallest piroplasmal infection of babesiosis is Babesia gibsoni in dogs. It is a common tick-borne disease in dog, causing severe haematological changes. A total of 286 blood smears of Chippiparai dogs were screened for haemoprotozoan diseases for one year. Among these twelve cases were found to be positive for Babesia gibsoni infection. The clinical presentation of those cases was the presence of ticks, pale to icteric mucus membrane, dullness and pyrexia. The haematological examination revealed decreased values of haemoglobin, packed cell volume and red blood cells, but significant leucocytosis to leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were also recorded. The blood picture showed severe anaemic changes with neutrophilia along with presence of signet form of piroplasm in RBCs.