Use of a doxycycline-enrofloxacin-metronidazole combination with/without diminazene diaceturate to treat naturally occurring canine babesiosis caused by <it>Babesia gibsoni</it>

• Main Authors: Huang Hui-Pi, Lin Ming-Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2010-04-01
• Series: Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
• Online Access: http://www.actavetscand.com/content/52/1/27

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Canine babesiosis is an important worldwide, tick-borne disease caused by hemoprotozoan parasites of the genus <it>Babesia</it>. <it>Babesia gibsoni </it>is the predominant species that causes canine babesiosis in Taipei, Taiwan. It is a small pleomorphic intraerythrocytic parasite that can cause erythrocyte destruction and hemolytic anemia. Efficacy of oral administration of a doxycycline-enrofloxacin-metronidazole combination with and without injections of diminazene diaceturate in the management of naturally occurring canine babesiosis caused by <it>B. gibsoni </it>was evaluated retrospectively. The overall efficacy of this combination of doxycycline-enrofloxacin-metronidazole in conjunction with and without administration of diminazene diaceturate was 85.7% and 83.3%, respectively; with a mean recovery time of 24.2 and 23.5 days, respectively. Concomitant use of intramuscular diminazene diaceturate may not improve the efficacy of a doxycycline-enrofloxacin-metronidazole combination in management of canine babesiosis caused by <it>B. gibsoni</it>.</p>