Chronic Anemia in a Boxer Dog Julie Tomlinson, DVM Melanie Johnson, DVM, PhD, DACVP Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine 05-Tomlinson Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Signalment/History 3-year-old, SF, Boxer Dog 2 month hx of anemia Previous treatments: – Multiple blood transfusions – Doxycycline – Prednisone – Vitamin K Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Physical Exam BAR Pale mucous membranes Grade IV/VI systolic murmur Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Diagnostics CBC – marked anemia (HCT=18.5%) – mild thrombocytopenia – mild mature neutrophilia Serum Chemistry - WNL PT, PTT – WNL Direct Coombs – positive Direct Coombs Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Diagnostics cont’d Thoracic and abdominal radiographs – WNL Abdominal ultrasound – WNL Echocardiogram – mild tricuspid regurge Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Blood Smear Evaluation Markedly decreased red cell density Moderate polychromasia and anisocytosis Howell-Jolly bodies and metarubricytes Mild thrombocytopenia Megaplatelets Mild left shift And………… Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Ancillary Diagnostics Serology – B. gibsoni 1:640 – B. canis 1:320 B. gibsoni B. canis Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Ancillary Diagnostics Serology – B. gibsoni 1:640 – B. canis 1:320 PCR – Positive for B. gibsoni Asian genotype B. gibsoni B. canis Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Canine Babesiosis American Dog tick Dermacentor Variabilis Hemoprotozoan Genus Babesia Ixodid tick vectors Small and large piroplasms Characterized by Hemolytic anemia Thrombocytopenia Fever Splenomegaly Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Canine Babesiosis Small piroplasms B. gibsoni Asian genotype B. gibsoni USA/California genotype B. conradae Theileria annae Large piroplasms B. canis rossi (Africa) B. canis canis (Europe) B. canis vogeli Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Pathogenesis Tick bite Sporozoites Endocytosis Binary fission Merozoites Ingestion by tick Gametes Zygote Hemolymph Salivary gland Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Diagnosis Clinical pathology – Regenerative anemia – Thrombocytopenia – Coomb’s positive Blood smear Serology – IFA – ELISA PCR Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Conclusion Tick transmitted hemoprotozoan Small and large forms Evolving nomenclature Speciation Hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia Blood smear, Serology, PCR Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

References Birkenheuer AJ, Levy MG, Breitschwerdt EB: Development and evaluation of a seminested PCR for detection and differentiation of Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype) and B. canis DNA in canine blood samples Clinical Microbiology; 41(9): Boozer L, Macintire D. Babesia gibsoni: An Emerging Pathogen in Dogs Compendium; 27(1): Kjemtrup AM, Conrad PA: A review of the small canine piroplasms from California: Babesia conradae in the literature Vet Parasitology; 138: Muhlnickel CJ, Jefferies R, Morgan-Ryan UM, Irwin PJ: Babesia gibsoni infection in three dogs in Victoria Aust Vet J; 80: Taboada J, Lobetti R: Babesiosis, in Green CE (ed): Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat, 3 rd ed. St. Louis, WB Saunders, 2006, pp Trapp SM, Messick JB, Vidotto O, Jojima FS, Autran de Morais HS: Babesia gibsoni genotype Asia in dogs from Brazil Vet Parasitology; 141: Zahler M, Rinder H, Zweygarth E, Fukata T, Maede Y, Schein E, Gothe R: Babesia gibsoni of dogs from North America and Asia belong to different species Parasitology; 120: Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only

Questions? Presented at SEVPAC 2008 – Permission granted for use on SEVPAC website only