Table 2.
Summary of clinical presentation and diagnostic investigation of affected dogs from Essex
| Name (Case number) | Description | Date of original presentation | Clinical presentation | Blood worka | Diagnostic investigation by APHAb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bud (1) | 8.3 year old male Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 5/10/2015 | Dull, refusing food with pale mucous membranes | RBC: 4.55; Hb: 11.1; HCT: 32% |
Blood smear negative; PCR positive |
| Mishka (2) | 3.8 year old female Siberian Husky | 26/10/2015 | Dull, weak with pale mucous membranes. Confirmed Babesia-positive by commercial laboratory. | RBC: 2.11; Hb: 4.8; HCT: 12.5% |
Not tested |
| Ruby (3) | 9 year old female black Labrador | 6/1/2016 | Lethargic | RBC: 4.41; Hb: 11; HCT: 31% |
Blood smear negative; PCR negative. A tick removed from the dog was positive by PCR |
| Bertie (4) | 5.5 year old male Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 4/2/2016 | Dull, listless with anorexia | RBC: 4.43; Hb: 11.6; HCT: 33% |
Blood smear positive; PCR positive |
| Ollie (5) | 10.6 year old male Cocker Spaniel | 17/3/2016 | Weak, dark urine, anorexia and pale mucous membranes | RBC: 4.1; Hb: 9; HCT: 27.7% |
Blood smear positive; PCR positive. An engorged tick removed from the dog was positive by PCR |
aReference ranges: red blood cell count (RBC): 4.95–7.87; haemoglobin (Hb): 11.9–18.9, haematocrit (HCT): 36–55%
bBlood samples were tested by Giemsa staining of a blood smear or by pan–piroplasm PCR (see Methods section)