Seasonal differences in the intensity of acute phase response in dogs infected with Babesia canis.

The highest number of acute Babesia canis cases in dogs is recorded over the February-May (Feb-May) period, which also represents the optimal climate conditions for tick activity in Belgrade, Serbia. A possibility that the acute phase response is more intense in dogs developing the disease in the Feb-May period compared with the response in other time periods of the year was tested. A total of 63 client-owned dogs with acute B. canis infection were enrolled and the routine hematology and biochemistry parameters-serum amyloid A (SAA), IgG against B. canis, level of parasitemia, ceruloplasmin (CER), paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and fibrinogen-were measured. Acute phase indexes (API) were calculated as (SAA×CER)/(Iron×PON-1) and (SAA×CER)/(Albumin×Iron). Statistics included Kruskal-Wallis test and logistic regression analysis. The results showed that in the Feb-May period, the following parameters were lower: creatinine, albumin, iron, and level of parasitemia. Furthermore, increased API values were more probable in the Feb-May than in the other periods. Together, higher acute phase response intensity and presumptive hemodilution in the Feb-May period indicate a more acute course of B. canis infection than in other time periods of the year.

Autochthonous infection with Ehrlichia Canis and Hepatozoon Canis in dogs from Serbia.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological status concerning many canine tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in Serbia is still insufficiently known. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to investigate the presence of tick-borne pathogens of the family Anaplasmataceae and Hepatozoon spp., as a cause of illnesses accompanied by clinical signs that can occur in dogs with anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and hepatozoonosis. METHODS: Dogs are included in the study based on the presence of a minimum of three clinical and/or pathological findings that could be associated with anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and hepatozoonosis. During the study (April-October 2018), 11 dogs met the conditions to be included in the survey. Identification of the causative agent in the blood of diseased dogs was performed by conventional PCR followed by sequencing. RESULTS: The presence of the pathogens was confirmed in three animals (3/11, 27.3%). The presence of Ehrlichia canis was confirmed in 3-month-old female Rottweiler puppy, an 8-year old Miniature Schnauzer female was positive for Hepatozoon canis infection, while 4-year-old mixed breed male dog was co-infected with both mentioned pathogens. These are the first cases of autochthonous infection with E. canis and H. canis in dogs from Serbia confirmed by molecular methods. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study indicate the importance of molecular methods to establish a reliable diagnosis of TBDs. Also, the confirmed presence of causative agents of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and hepatozoonosis in Serbia appeals to veterinary practitioners that it is necessary to exclude the presence of those diseases in suspicious dogs.

Serum oxidant-antioxidant status and butyrylcholinesterase activity in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy - A pilot study.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in pathogenesis of idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Although IE is the most common neurological condition, oxidant-antioxidant status in epileptic dogs is still unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the serum oxidant-antioxidant status in dogs with newly diagnosed IE. The status in 15 dogs with IE and 15 healthy dogs is estimated through spectrophotometric determination of two oxidant markers: advanced oxidation protein products-albumin index (AOPP) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); and three antioxidant markers: total thiols (R-SH) level, glutathione (GSH) level, and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity. Also, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity is assessed in both groups of dogs. Higher AOPP is observed in the dogs with newly diagnosed IE, while TBARS level shows no difference when compared to the healthy dogs. In contrast, lower levels of antioxidants (R-SH, GSH, and PON-1) and BChE activity are found in the dogs with IE. No significant differences are observed in the oxidant and antioxidant markers and BChE activity across the investigated IE cases with focal and generalized seizures. Our findings provide evidence that dogs with IE are characterized by an impaired serum oxidant-antioxidant balance and lower BChE activity, which may contribute to a better understanding of IE pathogenesis.

Acute-phase response in Babesia canis and Dirofilaria immitis co-infections in dogs.

Babesia canis and Dirofilaria immitis are emerging and geographically overlapping vector-borne pathogens in dogs. Infection with B. canis leads to acute-phase response (APR) that can be mild to severe and results in either non-complicated or complicated forms of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether acute B. canis infection is more severe in dogs with underlying asymptomatic D. immitis infection. Dogs of both sexes, different ages and breeds, with naturally occurring mono-infections with B. canis (n=13) and D. immitis (n=18) and co-infected dogs (n=7) were enrolled as well as healthy controls (n=15). Routine haematology and biochemistry, agarose gel electrophoresis (agEF) protein fraction separation and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serum amyloid A (SAA) were performed. Based on clinical and laboratory findings, sepsis was diagnosed in the majority of dogs with acute B. canis infection with or without underlying asymptomatic D. immitis infection. Overall, haematology, biochemistry and agEF pattern changes were induced and dictated by acute B. canis infection whether or not the dogs had an asymptomatic D. immitis infection. D. immitis infection slightly influenced the level of anaemia, slightly aggravated the level of dehydration and increased the concentration of γ-globulins in acute-phase B. canis infection. D. immitis infection prevented B. canis-induced leukopenia. SAA equally increased in dogs with acute B. canis infection with or without underlying D. immitis infection. The level of SAA was not changed in dogs with asymptomatic D. immitis when compared to the controls. In conclusion, asymptomatic D. immitis infection does not influence overall APR after acute B. canis infection.