Role of babesiosis in canine pup mortality

Babesiois is one of the life threatening diseases in dogs, especially in pups. Three (3.89 per cent) babesiosis cases belonged to a 40 days old male crossbred, 20 days old male Labrador retriever and a 45 days old male Rottweiler pups were in 77 cases of pup mortality. Anorexia, dullness, depression and anaemic changes were observed. Heart blood/spleen impression smears revealed piroplasms in erythrocytes. Catarrhal gastroenteritis, hepatitis, pulmonary congestion, oedema and haemorrhage were observed. Thymic lymphoid cell depletion, lymphadenitis and phagocytosed parasitized erythrocytes in lymph node and cerebral capillaries were also observed. Brain revealed spongiosis.