Babesiosis - Thoughts

[Guest carriej]

Ok - so now I am panicking about babesiosis.

 

Mostly because, the first tick I found was right after Kowalla died and I didn't know it was a tick. Kowalla died from severe anemia... We thought his tumor had ruptured (as he had a brain tumor, and a stomach tumor) but now I am wondering if it wasn't babesia. When I was reading about it I was almost sick.

 

Chance has been off the past few days too.. He's a crazy dog and he's been abnormally lazy. Appetite and bathroom is fine; his stool seems dark but not black like Kowalla's was.

 

I worry about everything

 

Does anyone who has actually had their dog come down with it; tell me what to expect and watch for? Kowalla deteriorated super fast within two weeks. I am getting nervous because the holidays are coming up and the clinics will be closed.

[GeorgeofNE]

My brother had it--he was very ill.

 

If you're that worried, have him tested. Most likely he's been lazy due to what I understand to be extreme cold in Canada?

[boopieface]

Our first grey Katy Sue had it but had no symptoms. We found it when we had a tick panel done. Treated her with something (God it's been years and I don't remember what it was) and she was fine. How long has it been since Kowalla passed? Maybe Chance is missing him?

[Hubcitypam]

Babesia is treated with Immizol. When I was doing heavy duty fostering here the group had a vial of it I'd keep at my house and take into the vet. We went through more than one vial. Some say it is very hard on the dog, but the ones I took in for treatment were all 2 or 3 and otherwise (?)very healthy. New had a bad reaction and none showed any symptoms.

 

I agree - just have the dog tested. I had one stray greyhound from Oklahoma hit the grand slam - she had Ehrlechia (sp). Lyme, Babesia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

 

We just don't have ticks at all in this old section of Dallas and I think my lucky stars for that. The newer suburbs are a different story. I use Advantage which works best on just fleas IMO. When the gathering in Abilene was open to the public I'd buy one vial of Frontline for the trip. No kidding we got hop our for a quick potty break in Oklahoma and pick up multiple ticks. Don't ever move to Oklahoma - it is tick central.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Hubcitypam

[Guest carriej]

Chance came after Kowalla passed and Chance has been an only grey, Kowalla passed in August and I found a tick right after he passed. At the time, I did not know it was a tick until yesterday when I found more.

 

It is cold here. Not too cold today though. I am in Atlantic Canada, the western part of Canada (Alberta, etc) gets very cold but here we get more snow than cold here in NB.

 

I guess I am looking for a "sure fire" symptom that doesn't show up late in the game; as the symptoms I have been reading look pretty dismal.

 

We have NO ticks here. None. Doesn't happen - vet is flabberghasted. However some must have hitch hiked from Florida (where the greys here all come from) and infiltrated my house. I have not found anymore. So all in all, I have found 4 total. Including the one I found attached to Chances toe.

[JJNg]

It's not unusual for retired racing greyhounds to be exposed to ticks and tick-borne diseases on the farms where they are raised, as well as at the tracks. Especially since most farms and tracks are in the south, ticks are a part of life down here. I know that finding ticks in your house was very disturbing, but those few ticks don't really mean that your greyhounds are any more likely to have tick borne diseases than most other ex-racers.

Additionally, ticks generally have to be attached for 24-48 hours before they transmit disease, and by then they are usually well-engorged. If your dogs had had engorged ticks in the time you had them, you'd probably have noticed. So those ticks you found in your house most likely didn't get a chance to transmit any diseases.

I don't know all the details about how Kowalla died, but if his stools were black, that's consistent with the vet's suspicion of a ruptured GI tumor. Black stools are caused by bleeding within the GI tract; the black color is essentially digested blood. Babesia causes anemia through hemolysis, which is where the red blood cells are broken down within the bloodstream. There would be no bleeding or black stools.

How is Chance's gum color? Are they nice and pink? Pale gums would indicate anemia. If you're worried about him, have your vet check him over and do some basic bloodwork and maybe a tick-borne disease panel. My lab of choice is NC State for the most comprehensive panel.
http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/vhc/csds/ticklab.html

Tick serology (antibody titers) need to interpreted in conjunction with the dog's clinical status and other bloodwork. The presence of antibodies often doesn't mean active disease and may just be from past exposure. PCR testing is more reliable for active infection.

[Guest carriej]

Thank you, that did make me feel better.

 

Yes, Kowalla's stools were black. However I thought I read somewhere that babesia can have black stools too - but I have read so many things it is all starting to run together. I just feel like when she told me that he was anemic she said that there were "a lot of dead blood cells" but I could be mistaken with this also. I have sent her an e-mail for clarification.

 

Chance's gums look fine, and his heart seems normal to me. Kowalla's heart beat so fast, constant thump, thump, thump - I could see his whole body "beat" from across the room. I have been pressing on Chance's gums every morning and the color comes back very quickly. He seems normal to me; I am just concerned about these beasties getting a hold on him, especially the little ones. They are so teeny compared to the larger ones and I have no experience with ticks. I have not seen another one in the house (or on him) but I don't know if I believe they are gone yet. I have ordered some food grade diatomaceous earth online to sprinkle about; and I have a central vac so I have been vacuuming everything. I don't know where I would find them if they were here. The rest I seem to have found more by surprise than any active searching.

 

My vet thinks I am overreacting slightly - and I might be. I just really, really don't want anything bad to happen to him. I have lost two greyhounds this year and both were "surprises" so I am a little paranoid.

[cometdust1]

Thank you, that did make me feel better.

 

Yes, Kowalla's stools were black. However I thought I read somewhere that babesia can have black stools too - but I have read so many things it is all starting to run together. I just feel like when she told me that he was anemic she said that there were "a lot of dead blood cells" but I could be mistaken with this also. I have sent her an e-mail for clarification.

 

Chance's gums look fine, and his heart seems normal to me. Kowalla's heart beat so fast, constant thump, thump, thump - I could see his whole body "beat" from across the room. I have been pressing on Chance's gums every morning and the color comes back very quickly. He seems normal to me; I am just concerned about these beasties getting a hold on him, especially the little ones. They are so teeny compared to the larger ones and I have no experience with ticks. I have not seen another one in the house (or on him) but I don't know if I believe they are gone yet. I have ordered some food grade diatomaceous earth online to sprinkle about; and I have a central vac so I have been vacuuming everything. I don't know where I would find them if they were here. The rest I seem to have found more by surprise than any active searching.

 

My vet thinks I am overreacting slightly - and I might be. I just really, really don't want anything bad to happen to him. I have lost two greyhounds this year and both were "surprises" so I am a little paranoid.

Same here. Lost 2 last year. Suddenly. Hemangiosarcoma rupture(bled to death), Chronic stage ehrlichiosis. I am paranoid now too. Sent my new grey's blood to North Carolina state for their complete tick panel just because I needed to know he was clear for my peace of mind. I think you'll feel much better if you do the testing. Oh, I also did a complete CBC Chem and urinalysis just because... So, you're not alone. We just love our hounds and don't want them taken from us! If you find anymore ticks, have an exterminator come. Good luck.

Edited December 18, 2013 by cometdust1

[carronstar]

My vet thinks I am overreacting slightly - and I might be. I just really, really don't want anything bad to happen to him. I have lost two greyhounds this year and both were "surprises" so I am a little paranoid.

 

My vet calls these instances wellness checks for the owner. When I lost my first girl to osteo, I called him every time Morgaine showed anything that might, in any universe, resemble a limp or a change in her gait. He would always tell me to breathe, give it 24 hours and then if I still thought he needed to come see her, he would do so. Sometimes, the visit is worth the peace of mind it brings you.