Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
(ISSN: 2659 – 0743)
Volume 7, No. 1, 2025
Pages 206-211
DOI: 10.36108/jvbs/5202.70.0191
A Case of Babesiosis in German Shepherd Dog
Oluchi Nnenna Nwankudu1 and Anaga Otah Anaga2
1Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
2Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
ABSTRACT
Reports on diverse cases brought from Abia and Imo States that were treated in Veterinary Teaching Hospitals (VTH) revealed the prevalence of haemoparasites of different species having the same vectors in various geographical locations. In VTH, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Trypanosomiasis dominated various infections presented and ticks were seen as prominent vectors on the body of the animals. However, in VTH, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) tick borne babesiosis was mostly encountered and German shepherd dogs were the most susceptible. A female German shepherd dog was presented to the VTH, MOUAU on 14th of May, 2025; it was observed to be weak and lacked appetite. The clinico-physiological examination revealed that the dog was febrile (40oC), had a body weight of 24 kilograms, a pulse rate of 100 beats per minute (bpm) and a respiratory rate of 24 cycles per minute (cpm). The dog had a heavy burden of brown tick infestation and the oral mucous membrane was very pale (paper white) while prescapular lymph nodes were swollen. Peripheral blood was collected in sample bottle with heparin as an anticoagulant for blood smear and haematology. Microscopic examination of the blood smear revealed the presence of pear-shaped piroplasmic organisms in some red blood cells. Moreover, the erythrocyte indices revealed that the dog was anaemic having low packed cell volume (PCV) of 31% (normal range: 35-57%) and haemoglobin (Hb) of 6.5 g/dl (normal: 11.9-18.9 g/dl). Differential white blood cell count revealed that the neutrophils (69%), monocytes (3%), eosinophils (2%), and basophils (0%) were normal. However, there was abnormally high lymphocyte (26%) against the normal range of 8-21%. The persisting normal plasma concentration of neutrophils indicated that this case was not complicated with bacterial infection.
Keywords: Babesiosis, Haemoparasites, Prevalence, Trypanosomiasis, VTH