MSD Animal Health is highlighting a new case of Babesiosis in a non-travelling dog confirmed by Atilla Csaka MRCVS from Walton Lodge Veterinary Group in Ware, Hertfordshire.

Atilla was presented with the concerned owners of an eight year old Staffie at the end of August this year, having found blood in the dog’s urine. He said: "Fortunately the owners were extremely vigilant and noticed the blood. They phoned on a Sunday and arrived in the surgery as an emergency two hours later, bringing with them a urine sample. The urine was dark red and remained so when spun. I then carried out an in-house peripheral blood smear and found the Babesia piroplasms. Treatment started immediately with Imizol injections."

"Having just seen the dog two weeks later for its second injection, the lucky Staffie is thankfully doing very well. This dog was fortunate though as we were not seeing it regularly at the practice so it had not been receiving regular tick treatment. This meant it was exposed to the dangers of tick-borne diseases even though it hadn’t travelled outside the UK."

Hannah Newbury, Technical Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "This case is a reminder of the value of vets remaining vigilant to the possibility of Babesiosis being present in dogs that have not travelled outside the UK or had contact with dogs that have. 

"It also highlights the need for vets to discuss parasite risk with owners to ensure that dogs are given regular tick-treatments throughout the year to reduce the risks to pets and owners.”

"As we learnt from the cases of canine Babesiosis in Essex last year, there are established populations of the tick Dermacentor reticulatus acting as vectors of the introduced pathogen Babesia which is a major concern for animal health. It also demonstrates the potential dangers from the inadvertent introduction of novel disease pathogens if vigilance and surveillance are not maintained."

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