Positive Babesia Results, Vet Wants To Wait For 3 Months To Retest

[Guest Stargirl]

I'm new here, as can be seen. I have a brindle, 3 1/2 year old female I adopted 2 months ago. About 6 weeks ago I had her blood drawn for the tick tests and the vet called a week later to say she was positive for babesia at the ratio of 1:320. He suggested we just wait until August to take another blood test to see if the ratio goes up or down. At that time I had no idea about tick diseases, but have since done seem reading online. It seems that a lot of places treat with Imizol with a titer result like that, but others say treatment is controversial at a low level.

2 weeks ago she was sick with vomiting and diarrhea and he did more blood tests. It showed pancreatitis, which the vet said would be unrelated to babesia, but also showed that she wasn't anemic, as she should have been if she had an active infection of babesia. She doesn't have a lot of energy, but otherwise seems asymptomatic of tick disease. Has anyone else had a similar titer reading that wasn't treated and eventually went down?

I tried asking about the PCR or PRC (?) test and giving Imizol shots, but the vet didn't seem overly interested in those options and clearly didn't think they were necessary at this point. Part of me is saying, screw it, go to another vet, but this guy is recommended by the greyhound agency and has worked with greyhounds quite a bit, so I assume (yes, that word) that he knows what he is talking about.

I did read some other postings that people have had immediate results from Imizol shots, in that their dogs seemed to perk up and be happier. My dogs only issues are pancreatitis, shyness, mild lethargy and stomach issues....which I am hoping will change when I try some raw foods. I jokingly call her my Lemon dog as she is not at all what I thought I was getting. I was hoping for long walks, but most of the time she won't go past the driveway before she wants to go back inside.

Anyways, I love this place already, not sure what I am asking for here, basically if others have had positive titer results that required no treatment.

Thanks!

[Burpdog]

You need to treat a positive with symptoms.

 

What were her platelets, HCT & RBC? Where are you located?

[Guest Stargirl]

In Michigan, don't have the results myself, he just said they were all fine, other than her pancreatic enzymes from the bloodtest, but they weren't sky high.

[gracegirl]

She sounds to me like she has some mild symptoms of babesia. Grace was positive with a titer of 1:160 and I did treat her with Imizol (2 shots a few weeks apart). After her treatment her stomach issues (mainly big D) disappeared. If I had it to do over again, I'd have waited a few months and retested like your vet is suggesting. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Edited June 24, 2009 by gracegirl

[sweetdogs]

I jokingly call her my Lemon dog as she is not at all what I thought I was getting. I was hoping for long walks, but most of the time she won't go past the driveway before she wants to go back inside.

Aw, what's her name? When I got my first hound, he didn't want to walk much either. He would just stop wherever we were (sometimes the middle of the road ) & pull to go back home. I've turned him into a walking monster because now he hates to be home! So give her time, especially if she isn't feeling well.

 

I have no advice on the babesia, but other peeps will. For diet questions, check out Dogaware. Lots of links to the best way to feed however you want to (kibble, raw, combined).

[Guest Stargirl]

Thanks for the info on feeding. My dog sounds like yours was. She walks and then just plants her front feet, drops her head and won't budge. Middle of the street, halfway through a walk, but most of the time when we try to leave our yard. One day I was walking her to pick up my daughter at a friends house, then 2 houses away from our destination she refused to budge, and I had to turn around without my kid. Grrr. I'm glad I can laugh now!!!! Glad to hear that it might change one day. Course when she does go and you want to turn around and head back home, she has issues about turning around. I try to fool her and make a wide looping turn, but it doesn't always work.

[Guest Energy11]

Usually, they treat with numbers like that. You CAN do a PCR to find out if the disease is active in the dog. ALL of mine had positive, but low, titers, but their PCRs were negative. You might want to get in touch with Protatek Labs, and see what their take is on this. http://www.protatek.com/reflab.html.

 

Just tell them, what you told us, and go from there. Good luck! D

[fritofeet]

I have had a babesia dog and babesia fosters.

I'd treat now, and retest in 3 months.

Tell the vet you insist on the treatment now, or you can go shopping for another vet.

[fritofeet]

I'd rather treat and see no results (which I would bet you do see some) and know I was trying to help my dog vs waiting and finding out later there was an option.

 

Diesel was with us for 8 months before I figured out there was something wrong. Lethargy, vomiting, I was suprised at him as he was not the greyhound I was expecting. After treatment, he totally was a different dog.

 

The only serious treatment side effect I have ever heard of was the shot given subcutaneously vs intermuscular. It sucks because the shot hurts when given in the muscle, but if the subcu shot isn't done correctly it can create an awful lesion.

 

 

[robinw]

Phoenix was treated for babesia because he was symptomatic, as should your dog. Here in Southern Ontario, i ran into the problem of vets not taking the parasite seriously because the infecting brown ticks don't live here. I don't know if they live in your area. if they don't persist in obtaining treatment and explain to your vet that greyhounds travel and could pick up the parasite anywhere.

[Batmom]

Your vet probably feels the dog is asymptomatic based on the other bloodwork and wants to see if the titer goes up. If RBC, HCT, platelets indicate a *robust* state of health, that might be a reasonable approach, but if anything there is borderline you wouldn't want to wait the 3 months. Might want to consult with these guys http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/vth/ticklab.html#babesia and see what they would advise based on the specific bloodwork.

[Guest Stargirl]

More thanks for the advice and personal experiences. My dog is originally from a track in Alabama, so I think it is safe to say she had ticks. I think I need to get all the test results from the vet to have for myself. I do use another vet for my other dog and cats, so maybe I will try there. It is amazing how tick tests are alien to some vets, the first place I called to get her tick tested had no idea what a tick titer was. That does not inspire confidence.

On a side note, I have been reading about the raw diet and although I don't want to fully switch over to that, my dog, Starry, had her first raw drumstick this morning. She relished eating it and I hope that improves her poopies. Maybe it will enhance her energy level too, one can hope

[stlgrey]

Ali tested with a low postive to babesia just about 3 weeks after I adopted her. We treated with doxy for 2 months. I suggest you seek a second opinion. This disease is nothing to fool with. Good thoughts going your way for a full recovery fast.

[Guest snakes]

On a side note, I have been reading about the raw diet and although I don't want to fully switch over to that, my dog, Starry, had her first raw drumstick this morning. She relished eating it and I hope that improves her poopies. Maybe it will enhance her energy level too, one can hope

 

No advice on babesia, but i was feeding half raw (had to stop due to stomach issues) and the vet made expressly clear that drumsticks were not a good option, can't remember the exact reason but i think it was due to the size of the bones, I tended to stick with the chicken quarters minus the big leg bones.

Good luck, there are tons and tons of raw feeding websites that would probably help more....

 

[Guest Stargirl]

Ali tested with a low postive to babesia just about 3 weeks after I adopted her. We treated with doxy for 2 months. I suggest you seek a second opinion. This disease is nothing to fool with. Good thoughts going your way for a full recovery fast.

 

Did you notice any changes in your dog? Did she show symptoms? Thanks

[Guest Stargirl]

On a side note, I have been reading about the raw diet and although I don't want to fully switch over to that, my dog, Starry, had her first raw drumstick this morning. She relished eating it and I hope that improves her poopies. Maybe it will enhance her energy level too, one can hope

 

No advice on babesia, but i was feeding half raw (had to stop due to stomach issues) and the vet made expressly clear that drumsticks were not a good option, can't remember the exact reason but i think it was due to the size of the bones, I tended to stick with the chicken quarters minus the big leg bones.

Good luck, there are tons and tons of raw feeding websites that would probably help more....

 

 

 

OH dear, what were the stomach issues with the raw? I was a little worried about the drumstick, but after reading that so many others feed the quarters, I figured it would be okay. She crunched the bone up slowly and didn't rush eating it, so I feel pretty good about it. I don't have overwhelming confidence

when vets recommend foods, they don't seem to be over the high grain/low meat prescriptive diets yet.

[Trihounds]

Both our boys had low titers for babesia and our vet and adoption group didn't waste a second on treating with Imizol. Mainly, they were concerned about the impact the parasites could/would have on their future and they wanted to rid them of it now, versus waiting until the problem became more significant.

 

Only caution...one boy had a reaction to the injection which created an intramuscular abscess. Boy, was he not happy for close to 2 weeks while it healed up. The vet bill was pretty serious as well, though I heard he is part of the 1-2% that actually react to it.

 

The drug can cause temporary vomiting and a loss of bowel control. Our boys were both lucky winners there too. Thankfully, the dogs stay at the vet for observation much of the day so they can be properly cared for when things arise.

 

So, the injection is not a pretty thing, hence I think the controversy. Our boys haven't been retested yet but their demeanour tells us they are doing just fine.

 

By the way - we switched them to raw food and had amazing results - they consume and digest he leg bone without issue. There's lot's of chompin' going on!

 

Best of luck to you and your little girl.

 

PS - on the walks - one of ours will statue if we turn left out of the driveway. He wants to go to the park on the right!! (and he is always leashed regardless so must be more interesting smells over there!)