5 classic symptoms of BABESIA
Friday, 26 April 2024
One of the most serious in consequences dog disease is babesiosis. Its consequences for our pet are extremely serious and may even lead to the loss of our beloved pet. The source of babesiosis is a protozoan called Babesia canis, which reaches the size of up to six micrometers. Seemingly so little, but for our dog it is downright deadly trap. What seems to be the most important is the fact that babesiosis is transmitted by ticks that we all know. To distinguish this disease from others, it is useful to know what the classic symptoms of babesiosis occur in any infected quadruped.
The first major symptom of babesiosis is extreme weakness. This is especially noticeable among dogs that until recently were unusually lively and energetic. If the dog, which previously did not miss any opportunity to play, suddenly begins to shy away from the company of people and other animals, there is a good chance that it began to develop babesiosis. At the same time it is worth to trace the last days of your pet's life. If extreme weakness began to occur a few days after a long walk in the woods, then we can assume that the dog was attacked by an infected tick.
Another symptom of babesiosis is a cloudy vision. This is a symptom that is extremely characteristic of the disease in question. When a dog begins to struggle with babesiosis, its vision becomes absent and the conjunctivae not only fade and become cloudy, they actually become dull. While it may sound overly blunt, a dog in this stage looks as if he is under the influence of intoxicating substances. Ignoring this symptom can bring very negative consequences for the further health of our pet.
Babesiosis is also accompanied by fever, which is often accompanied by shortness of breath. In this situation, the dog is constantly looking for opportunities to cool his body. A fever in babesiosis causes the internal temperature of the dog to exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The easiest way to recognize a fever is by the dog's dry nose.
The color of your pet's urine will also indicate the presence of a parasitic disease in your pet's body. If the dog's urine is dark, orange or red (brick-red), you should immediately visit a vet. Unnatural colour of urine proves beyond any doubt that we have to deal with babesiosis.
In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, it is also worth paying attention to whether our dog struggles with a lack of appetite and vomiting. Although these are symptoms typical of other diseases, they also occur in the case of babesiosis. Then, a dog that shows no interest in food may still return the contents of its own stomach. If this occurs frequently, the case should be consulted with a veterinarian.
If the symptoms of babesiosis are underestimated, there is a serious threat to the further health and life of the four-legged dog. The disease leads to kidney and liver damage. In extreme cases, complications occur, the most common of which is the so-called hemolytic anemia, requiring a blood transfusion procedure. Eventually, when the dog is left untreated, the damage to its body caused by babesiosis becomes fatal.
It is therefore important to be able to spot the signs of this dangerous disease. An effective protection against babesiosis will be frequent checking of the condition of the skin and coat of the pet, especially if it was previously in a forest area. It is also worth getting special preparations to fight ticks. These will help to prevent the likelihood of the disease.
