Piroplasmosis in dogs is a deadly disease caused by Babesia, which is transmitted by Ixodid ticks. Microbes enter the blood and destroy red blood cells, causing a deficiency of oxygen in the blood, which is actively involved in oxidative processes. Their waste products poison the body, causing vomiting and diarrhea. If the owner does not treat babesiosis in the dog, there is a high probability that the pet will die.
What is piroplasmosis in dogs
Babesia are the simplest of the genus of protists. They are able to mutate and adapt well, so in nature there are more than 100 forms of these parasites, each of which is dangerous only for a certain type of mammal.
A negative reaction in dogs is caused by protozoa, which belong to the species Babesia canis:
- Babesia canis canis is the largest variety, causes an acute reaction, and is severe.
- Babesia canis vogeli – the disease has a favorable prognosis.
- Babesia canis rossi – causes the most deaths.
- Babesia gibsoni is one of the smallest forms of Babesia.
The mechanism of development of the disease piroplasmosis in dogs
When a tick attaches itself to a pet, Babesia is activated. They migrate to the salivary glands of the tick and enter the bloodstream as part of the saliva. Babesia penetrate red blood cells and begin to reproduce asexually. When there are too many of them, they destroy red blood cells to become uninfected red cells.
The immune system reacts to this with an acute reaction:
- The amount of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein increases.
- The level of platelets and leukocytes decreases.
- Blood pressure decreases.
- Antibodies are formed that can destroy not only Babesia, but also healthy red blood cells.
Despite the active reaction, the immune system cannot completely eliminate piroplasmosis after a tick bite in a dog. Red blood cells are a reservoir of parasites, and when destroyed, they constantly splash a new portion into the blood.
How does babesiosis become infected?
Ticks can be called both the main and intermediate hosts of protozoa. They become infected from rats and other small rodents that are not susceptible to Babesia.
In the body of ticks, Babesia reproduce both sexually and asexually. They pass through the stage from larvae to imago, and are transmitted through eggs to the next generation of arthropods. Ticks, to which the infection is inherited, become completely infected. In particular, Babesia enter the salivary glands.
When a tick bites through an animal's skin, the protozoa enter the bloodstream with saliva. They immediately invade red blood cells and begin to multiply, destroying red cells. When red blood cells rupture, new parasites emerge and infect other blood cells. Therefore, ticks are not the only route of infection.
Infection can also occur:
- when receiving blood transfusion from a sick animal;
- from bitch to litter;
- with bites (for example, during a fight).
Acute form of piroplasmosis in dogs: symptoms and signs
The incubation period of piroplasmosis in dogs usually lasts from 5 to 7 days, less often it extends to 3 weeks. If you miss the signs of babesiosis in dogs after a tick bite, the pet will die in a few days due to breathing problems, anemia, and kidney failure.
Signs of piroplasmosis in dogs after a tick bite
With babesiosis, urine becomes the color of beer. A sick pet refuses to eat, apathy and increased fatigue appear. The temperature during dog piroplasmosis first rises to 40-41°C. Then it can drop to 37°C, before dying it can drop to 36-35°C.
Other symptoms of babesiosis in dogs at the acute stage:
- increased heart rate and breathing;
- vomiting blood;
- yellowing of the mucous membranes, sclera of the eyes;
- greenish or yellow stool.
Symptoms of liver and spleen damage
2-3 days after infection, anemia develops due to the breakdown of red blood cells. The urine becomes dark because it contains bilirubin, a toxic pigment produced by the breakdown of red blood cells in the spleen. Usually it is processed by the liver and sent into bile, in which it helps digest food. It then ends up in the stool and comes out, giving it a dark color.
With babesiosis, the liver cannot cope with the task, so bilirubin goes into the blood and poisons the body. The kidneys partially filter it out and remove it from the body in urine, which is colored by bilirubin the color of beer.
Thus, the liver and spleen are greatly affected by piroplasmosis. Ascites may develop - fluid retention in the abdominal cavity, which leads to the appearance of a belly.
Babesiosis in dogs: symptoms of platelet damage
Due to a deficiency of platelets, the blood vessels of the mucous membranes burst, and blood clotting is impaired. This leads to stomatitis, gastritis, and muscle inflammation.
Babesiosis in a dog: signs of brain damage
The disease often causes complications on the central nervous system. The following symptoms are possible:
- epileptic seizures;
- movement disorders;
- complete or partial paralysis – the dog has difficulty moving and cannot stand on its hind legs.
Treatment and preventative actions
The very first thing is to remove it. You can do it yourself, or you can go to the hospital. In order to remove a tick yourself, you need to generously lubricate it with vegetable oil. When it comes out a little, you need to carefully pull it out with tweezers, making circular movements. After the tick is removed, you need to check whether the proboscis remains in the skin. After removing the tick, you need to treat the affected area with hydrogen peroxide.
In the future, the skin must be lubricated with antibiotics for 3 weeks. If the tick is removed on your own, you should definitely visit a doctor afterwards to prevent complications. After about a month, the rash goes away, but this is not a reason to lose vigilance if something that bothers you appears after the bite.
To prevent a tick bite, you need to take a number of measures. People who frequently travel outdoors should be vaccinated against ticks. During vaccination, a person is injected with a special substance that will significantly reduce the risk of consequences of a bite.
Fans of rare picnics or hikes in the forest can be advised to wear thick clothing, exposed skin should be smeared with a special protective agent, and the head should be covered with a hat. Hair should be tucked under a headscarf or hat while outdoors.
If the reaction to the bite was prompt and correct, then there should be no complications. The occurrence of a negative reaction to a bite does not appear immediately. The first symptoms may be mild and pass quickly, but when they reappear, there is reason to sound the alarm.
By calling for help in time, you can avoid many problems and deaths.
Many people underestimate and carelessly protect their skin from these dangerous insects. To avoid such a nuisance, you need to carefully prepare for a trip to nature, smear yourself with protective products and take care of your hair, hiding it under a panama hat or headscarf.
There are a lot of cases where a tick bite led to death, so you should be very careful. You should ensure the safety of yourself and your children so that your trip to nature leaves only pleasant impressions.
Good afternoon. On May 28, I was bitten by a tick on my knee. At this time I was on a business trip: Hessen, Germany. I accidentally tore it off, and the tick’s “nose” remained in my leg. Afterwards it was immediately removed with tweezers, and the bite site was treated with iodine. After 2 weeks, an inflamed area formed around the bite. Afterwards, the inflammation intensified, and an irregular oval-shaped spot formed, uniformly pink-red (not like a typical borreliosis ring). The site of inflammation is swollen. On June 14, as directed by the doctor, I started taking doxycycline (2 tablets per day). I drank it for 7 days. The blood test result for borreliosis is negative. Gradually, the swelling went away, the spot acquired a bluish tint, and then completely disappeared. Now there is slight pigmentation in the area where there was inflammation. The skin is slightly peeling. The bite site itself protrudes slightly above the skin and is pigmented (slightly brownish). All this time my health was normal, my temperature did not rise. Tell me what other actions should be taken? Is it normal to have a slight bump at the bite site? (like a tiny seal). Thank you in advance.
Good afternoon. When bitten by a tick, there is a risk of contracting 4 infections - borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, monochitic ehrlichiosis, granulocytic anaplasmosis. The incubation period is up to a month. If there was no fever, health problems, or skin manifestations, then there is no cause for concern in the present. What you described is typical of a local reaction to a tick bite. Swelling at the site of the bite sometimes persists for some time.
Disease carriers are most often ixodid ticks.
Diagnosis of piroplasmosis (babesiosis) in dogs
The clinical symptoms of babesiosis can be confused with other dangerous diseases. Babesiosis often occurs simultaneously with leptospirosis and is combined with other dangerous diseases. A blood test for piroplasmosis in dogs will help to understand the nature of the disease. Based on this, the veterinarian will be able to prescribe the correct treatment regimen for babesiosis.
In the early stages of infection, pathogens may not be detected unless the infection has spread throughout the body. Traces of it appear in a capillary blood smear a week later. A more expensive test for babesiosis in dogs, PCR, detects traces of DNA 3-5 days after infection.
Testing for antibodies in the acute course of the disease does not make sense, since they have not yet formed in animals by this time. They can be used to determine the chronic course of the disease.
Since Babesia is not easy to detect in the blood at the initial stage, the doctor makes a diagnosis by analyzing the number of leukocytes, platelets, and young red blood cells. Before treating piroplasmosis in dogs, the doctor must exclude:
- anaplasmosis is another disease caused by ticks;
- immune hemolytic anemia;
- immune thrombocytopenia;
- urinary tract infection;
- poisoning.
Veterinarians have arrived
Thank God, the dogs recovered, but I decided to thoroughly study this issue, after consulting with European veterinarians. Here's what I found out.
Piroplasmosis is a disease of dogs that occurs with symptoms of high fever, yellowing of visible mucous membranes, and blood in the urine. Carriers are ixodid ticks. Most of them are in the spring, in April-May, and August-September, before the onset of cold weather. They love moisture, and rainy summers actively promote their spread. Not every dog becomes infected if you find a parasite attached to it. It is not so much the tick itself that causes problems - only a slight inflammation develops at the site of its bite - but the piroplasms living in it. And therefore, even after removing a dozen ticks from an animal that are not affected by piroplasms, there is no fear that the dog will get sick. But, unfortunately, it is not written on the tick whether it can infect or not. Therefore, prevention is initially necessary, i.e. After every walk you need to check your dog for ticks. In addition, treat your dog with anti-tick medications.
The only active ingredient that protects against them is methoprene. Therefore, when buying a particular anti-tick drug, check whether it contains methoprene.
If you do find a tick attached to your dog, watch it. If she changes her behavior and this is quite obvious, she becomes lethargic, loses interest in the life around her, moves reluctantly, refuses walks, refuses food, the temperature is more than 39.5, this is already a reason for alarm.
If you did not pay attention to this, then the following symptoms will be: the urine becomes reddish-brown in color, from beetroot to the color of dark beer, the mucous membranes are pale or yellowish.
And now there is a very big difference in treatment.
The difference is that with the European approach, piroplasmosis is not a life-threatening disease, in which the dog is cured within 24 hours and has no consequences for the liver, kidneys and all other internal organs.
With the Russian approach, piroplasmosis is a life-threatening disease; in addition, the dog has a damaged liver and kidneys for months and it takes weeks, or even months, to recover and, in principle, then has a diseased liver for the rest of his life.
In Russian treatment, the dog is taken to a veterinarian, who will do a quick test for the presence of Babesia in the blood, put the dog on a drip, which is detrimental to health and is completely unnecessary, and also give an injection of one or another antipyroplasmosis drug. The dog will lie on a drip for 3 days in a row, after which it will have a long, persistent and painful treatment for its liver, kidneys and, in principle, restore the body for months due to the fact that this drip has ruined many functions of the body.
In Europe, the approach is different: if there is a suspicion of piroplasmosis, you saw the initial symptoms I described, then the dog is given a single injection of a drug containing imidocarb as the active ingredient.
The dosage by weight indicated on the package is used. After this, the dog goes home, and if you give the injections yourself, then you just give the injection and do not go anywhere with the dog, so as not to “heal”. After 2 weeks, a second injection is given, in the same dosage, of the same drug.
Preparations with the active ingredient imidocarb are completely harmless when used correctly, i.e. according to the dosage indicated on the package + when using two injections (1 - when symptoms occur, the second - after 2 weeks). No IVs, no body restoration, no liver treatments. I would also like to add that after the injection the dog has complete immunity from ixodid ticks for 30 days.
If you missed the onset of the disease and the dog’s urine has already darkened, then in addition to imidocarb, a course of the antibiotic doxycycline is prescribed for 14 days in a dosage according to weight.
If you have been away from home all day and, when you come home, you find a dog with porcelain mucous membranes, a fever, and practically immobilized, then you need to urgently contact a veterinarian and have an ultrasound of the spleen done.
If you saw signs of a problem before the mucous membranes became porcelain-colored, then piroplasmosis can be treated with 2 simple injections. Unfortunately, if the case is advanced and the dog already has porcelain mucous membranes, the Russian system of treating piroplasmosis will also most likely be ineffective. I hope all dogs don't get ticks, but if they do, I really hope you think twice about putting them on a health-damaging drip instead of just two shots."
Problem
Every spring, dog lovers actively discuss how to protect their animals from diseases caused by ticks. Due to warming, their active season begins in April-May, and sometimes ends in December.
Doctors warn: the level of piroplasmosis is growing year by year. A lot of companies make money on our love for dogs and fear for their health: they offer all kinds of anti-tick products (collars, sprays, drops on the scruff of the neck), preventive vaccinations, treatment of the garden plot, and even the entire territory of the partnership against ticks. All these are very expensive events. If the dog gets sick, the treatment is complex: along with antiparasitic drugs, we put in IVs, administer hepatoprotectors, conduct a course of antibiotics, and use immune stimulants. It often takes the animal more than one month to recover.
View from Russia
“To understand what happens after infection, you need to at least learn the basics about the pathophysiology of piroplasmosis (babesiosis),” said one of the Moscow veterinary clinics. Babesia (or Piroplasma) is a single-celled protozoan that parasitizes erythrocytes (red blood cells). When a dog is bitten by a tick infected with Babesia, they enter the animal's blood and begin to multiply in red blood cells, destroying them.
So-called free hemoglobin begins to enter the dog’s blood from destroyed red blood cells, and due to this, intoxication begins. Clinically, this is expressed in a rise in temperature, lethargy, and refusal to feed. The liver is not able to cope with the utilization of such an amount of hemoglobin, and the animal develops “hemolytic jaundice” and liver inflammation (hepatitis).
Hemoglobin is an oxygen carrier, but in a free state, outside of red blood cells, it is not able to perform its function. As a result, hypoxia (lack of oxygen) develops in organs and tissues. This is manifested by shortness of breath and increased heart rate. Anemia develops (the mucous membranes - the dog's pharynx - become pale).
So, when suffering from piroplasmosis, the liver is the first to suffer. And the main mistake in treatment is when the animal receives too many drugs that the affected liver is simply not able to cope with.
The main thing in the treatment of piroplasmosis is the use of antiparasitic drugs. There are many of them, they are divided into two large groups: drugs containing diminazene aceturate, and drugs based on imidocarb.
The first group is effective, but toxic. Your dog may experience symptoms of arsenic poisoning (seizures). Therefore, when starting treatment, it is important to accurately follow the dosage, taking into account the weight of the dog. According to the instructions, the course of treatment consists of two injections, but there is no need to rush with the second injection. If after the first injection the animal’s condition has improved, the second may not be given.
A common mistake: having not received an effect after the double administration of the drug prescribed by the instructions, the doctor prescribes continued injections. This can lead to severe intoxication and death of the dog. If there is no improvement, then most often the diagnosis was erroneous and the dog is not sick with piroplasmosis.
The second, more modern group is drugs based on imidocarb. They are less toxic and can also be used for prevention. True, you shouldn’t get too carried away with chemoprophylaxis, because the long-term effects of the drug are unknown. It is better to treat according to the fact of the disease. The main key to success is early treatment and correct diagnosis.
As for symptomatic treatment, all kinds of “additional” drugs, this is a very controversial issue. In our clinic, systems (drips) are not used for all animals in a row, but only when indicated. The dog’s body, if it is not overloaded with unnecessary medications, most often copes with the elimination of free hemoglobin on its own. Drinking without restrictions is usually enough. If jaundice appears, you can drip saline solutions and isotonic glucose solution. No plasma replacement solutions are needed. Frequently prescribed diuretics are also not needed - they remove potassium, which is necessary for normal heart function. Any antibiotic is also an additional burden on the liver; unmotivated use should be avoided.
Finally, an important question is how to recover from piroplasmosis. A diet rich in protein is often recommended. The question is again ambiguous. The liver is affected, and for hepatitis, a diet with a reduced protein content is always recommended. Therefore, it is better to use medicated food. If the dog is on a natural diet, during recovery you need to reduce the amount of meat and meat products in the diet.
Prepared by Irina Yuryeva
Treatment of piroplasmosis in dogs
If a dog becomes ill with babesiosis, it should be taken to the doctor immediately. Babesiosis must be treated in a clinic - the pet may need IVs or blood transfusions at any time. Treatment of piroplasmosis at home is allowed if it is not possible to leave the pet in the hospital or if it is recovering. In this case, the doctor must personally monitor the animal and always be in touch.
To treat babesiosis in dogs, the doctor prescribes the following medications:
- Antiprotozoal drugs – Forticarb, Imochem-120. These drugs for piroplasmosis for dogs can be used not only for treatment, but also for prevention (only after consulting a doctor).
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (dexamethasone) - when treating babesiosis in dogs, drugs are prescribed to relieve swelling and reduce abnormal immune responses.
- Antibiotics (azithromycin, tetracycline).
- Giskan-5 - to normalize the functioning of the immune system, improve its resistance to disease. This drug can also be used if there is a suspicion that the pet has been in contact with an infected animal.
- Hepatoprotectors – strengthen the liver during illness and prevent complications.
- Heart medications – protect the heart.
- Blood transfusion - in severe cases.
The process of a tick attack on a dog
Hungry ticks find their prey thanks to the presence of special thermal sensors. A dog passing by a bush or grass on which a tick is sitting becomes an object of attack, the tick makes a jump and, clinging to the hair, remains on the dog. Having latched onto a dog, the tick begins to look for the place on the dog’s body that is least covered with hair (skin around the ears, neck, legs, abdominal area, etc.). Further digging into the skin with its tentacles, the tick pierces the skin and begins the process of sucking blood. It becomes almost impossible to tear it away from the dog at this time, and only after the tick has completely drunk blood does it fall off the dog’s skin.
Possible consequences and complications of piroplasmosis in dogs
Babesiosis severely damages the liver, so the most common complication after treatment is chronic hepatitis. Provide your pet with high-quality nutrition that will not overload the liver.
Other complications after piroplasmosis in dogs:
- anemia;
- renal failure;
- problems with the heart, blood vessels (heart failure);
- cerebral ischemia;
- spleen diseases;
- pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas;
- partial paralysis of the hind limbs;
- nervousness, seizures and other problems related to the nervous system.
What to feed your pet with piroplasmosis
If your pet doesn't want to eat, don't force food in. To maintain strength, give your pet food often - take liquid (you can use lean broth) into a large syringe without a needle and squeeze it into the mouth. Don't give me milk!
The diet should be aimed at increasing hemoglobin, immunity, and vitality. If you still have an appetite, give pureed lean meat (turkey, beef, lamb), add a little vegetable oil. Check with your veterinarian whether you can give porridge (rice, buckwheat, wheat) with meat. If yes, cook the cereal and make a puree. If the dog refuses porridge, do not give it.
As an option, you can buy ready-made dietary food intended for animals with diseased kidneys and liver. The dry must be soaked until it becomes a paste, the canned food must be mixed with warm water. The food should not be cold.
What to feed a dog after piroplasmosis
After an illness, the dog is exhausted and weakened, so food should be given little by little. The diet should be developed by a veterinarian taking into account the pet’s condition. The basic feeding rules are:
- Portions should be small.
- Feeding is fractional - if before you fed your pet 2 times a day, now you need 4-5 times.
- Food should be warm, liquid, pureed. Cereals and boiled vegetables can be given in the form of puree.
- Grind lean meat (beef, lamb, turkey).
- Liver – contains iron (in limited quantities).
- Fish can be given only boiled, low-fat. If the disease causes complications on the kidneys, it is better to refuse it.
- If the dog is accustomed to industrial food, give the product for a diseased liver and kidneys.
- When your pet eats natural food, exclude fatty, carbohydrate foods, and chicken.
- Iron supplements, vitamins, and minerals should be added to food (the doctor will tell you the name).
Prevention of piroplasmosis in dogs
Regularly treat your pet with anti-tick medications. If you live outside the city and often go into the forest, give preference to tablets. Even if a tick grabs a dog, it will die before it can drool into the blood.
Ticks attack pets in the warm season, especially in early spring, but there are cases when parasites were found in winter, at -12°C. Therefore, after every walk, inspect your dog for ticks.
If you find a tick on your pet, carefully remove it. For prevention, give an injection against piroplasmosis for dogs with the following drugs:
- Forticarb - the effect lasts for a month, it is recommended to inject if the possibility of infection is suspected. You can use the medicine in the treatment of piroplasmosis for dogs.
- “Nobivak-Piro” - vaccination is done in winter, when the risk of infection is minimal. Vaccination against piroplasmosis for dogs does not completely protect against the disease, but significantly alleviates its course. Nobivak-Piro is a prophylactic agent and cannot be used for treatment.
Remember that the infection is transmitted during fights. Keep an eye on your pet, do not allow it to fight or play with other people's dogs.
At the first symptoms of piroplasmosis (lethargy, apathy, vomiting, dark urine), take your pet to the veterinarian. Remember - timely treatment will save the life of your four-legged friend.
What actions to take if your dog is bitten by a tick?
Even if your pet is treated with an anti-tick agent, it is worthwhile to carefully examine the animal after each walk through the forest, grass and bushes. Particular attention should be paid to the following places:
- Ear area;
- head;
- Neck and chest;
- Groin area;
- Front and hind legs.
If you find a tick in your dog's body, you need to remove it as quickly as possible.
. The shorter the period the insect remains in the body, the easier the treatment will be and the more positive the outcome.
Gently palpate your dog:
- The attached insect is detected through the fur - depending on the amount of blood with which the parasite has been fed, it may look like a tubercle the size of a small raisin or a pea;
- Having parted the fur in a suspicious place, you will find a swollen insect;
- If there is a veterinary clinic nearby, it is better to contact it. If you are short on time, you should pull out the tick yourself;
- The most convenient way is to remove it with tweezers. The parasite must be captured as close as possible to the skin where the proboscis entered the body. You need to pull the parasite slowly, holding the animal's skin with your other hand. You can scroll slightly clockwise, but very carefully, because... this can lead to the head of the bloodsucker being torn off. Pet stores sell special tweezers for removing ticks;
- If you don’t have tweezers, pull it out with the same movements using your fingers wrapped in a bandage or napkin;
- Then the wound is lubricated with iodine, brilliant green or hydrogen peroxide.
Question answer:
Piroplasmosis in dogs: what to do?
At the first symptoms, consult a doctor and donate blood to be tested for piroplasmosis in your dog. If the dog is sick, adhere to the prescribed treatment regimen.
Can a pet cure babesiosis on its own?
No, if the pet is not provided with qualified medical care, the dog may die.
How does an animal become infected with babesiosis?
A dog becomes infected with piroplasmosis after a tick bite. The infection is also transmitted through blood transfusion, after a fight with infected dogs, from mother to puppies.
How long does it take for piroplasmosis to appear in dogs?
Signs of piroplasmosis in dogs after a tick bite may appear the very next day, but on average the incubation period lasts 5-7 days. Sometimes it lasts up to 3 weeks.
Will vaccination prevent piroplasmosis?
Vaccination against piroplasmosis protects the dog in 75% of cases. But vaccination is necessary: if the pet gets sick, the disease will be easier.
Preventing tick bites
To prevent tick bites, your dog must be treated with special medications. Their choice on the market is currently quite large - from drops on the withers to tablets. The main factors that need to be taken into account are that the drugs must be intended for dogs (human aerosols protect animals less well, and in some cases can cause poisoning), the dosage and frequency of use recommended by the manufacturer must be followed.
The drugs are not 100% protection - in case of an accidental tick bite, infection with piroplasmosis is possible even in a treated dog, but they significantly reduce the risk of this disease. The drug fluralaner is also now on the market, which provides a higher level of protection, preventing the risk of even an accidental bite.
(c) Veterinary center for the treatment and rehabilitation of animals “Zoostatus”. Varshavskoe highway, 125 building 1. tel. 8 (499) 372-27-37
