Babesiosis is an infectious disease that ticks can transmit to dogs. The pathogens that cause the disease are parasites that destroy red blood cells.
In this article you will find out how to recognise babesiosis in dogs and what consequences the infection can have. We also give you tips on how you can protect your four-legged friend from ticks without using chemical agents.
Babesiosis is an infectious disease caused by so-called Babesia. Babesia are unicellular parasites that destroy red blood cells. This can lead to anaemia (low blood count) in infected host animals.
While the first two subspecies are common in Europe, the third occurs only in Africa. It is therefore currently highly unlikely for a European dog to become infected with this type of Babesia.
The Babesia gibsoni subspecies is mainly found in the USA and Asia, however, there have also been cases in Europe. Babesia vulpes infects predominantly foxes. In addition to North America, this Babesia species also occurs in the Pyrenees.
For a long time, in northern countries like Germany, babesiosis had been just an imported problem that dogs brought with them from trips to southern countries.
However, due to global warming, among other things, it has meanwhile increasingly spread to our latitudes.
Apart from that, there is also a chance that dogs from southern countries that are rescued and imported by animal protection organisations are infected with babesiosis.
The Babesia parasites are transmitted to dogs through tick bites. In Europe, depending on the Babesia subspecies, either alluvial forest ticks or brown dog ticks are carriers.
The risk of infection is therefore particularly high in the warm season where the above mentioned tick species occur frequently.
Alluvial forest ticks as a carriers of Babesia canis canis occur practically everywhere in Central Europe. Brown dog ticks, which can transmit Babesia canis vogeli, originate from Mediterranean regions. This is still their main area of distribution today. However, in recent years brown dog ticks have been appearing increasingly in Central Europe.
It takes between 12 and 72 hours for Babesia to be transmitted after a tick bite. If the parasite feeds on one dog and then swiftly switches to another, it is occasionally possible that the infection will then take less time in the second dog.
In theory, transmission from one dog to another is possible if blood of an infected animal enters the bloodstream of another dog, e. g. during a biting attack.
In practice, however, this type of infection plays only a minor role compared to transmission by ticks.
The symptoms of babesiosis in dogs depend primarily on the exact Babesia species with which the four-legged friend has become infected. Regardless, the parasites always attack the red blood cells.
This leads to anaemia (low blood count), which inevitably results in an insufficient supply of oxygen to the organism. This can lead to serious organ damage in the long run.
The incubation period is between five days and three weeks.
As the disease progresses, the mucous membranes, which are initially pale due to anaemia, often turn yellow. This is because the breakdown of haemoglobin from the erythrocytes destroyed by Babesia produces the yellow coloured bilirubin.
Kidney failure in dogs with babesiosis can manifest itself with either absent or excessive urination. Apart from that, the animal's urine may have a reddish or brownish colour due to the haemoglobin it contains.
Pulmonary oedema in dogs causes coughing and breathing problems. In addition, nosebleeds can occur.
Canine babesiosis can become chronic. In some cases only the changed blood values of the affected animal indicate the infection. However, it is also possible that the four-legged friends suffer from weakness, significant weight loss and repeated episodes of fever.
If you notice symptoms of a possible infection with canine babesiosis in your dog, a prompt visit to the veterinarian is of course strongly recommended. Various methods can be used for diagnostics. In addition to antibody detection, this also includes microscopic and PCR tests.
A reliable diagnosis of babesiosis in dogs is usually possible a few days after the animal has become infected. Depending on the examination method used and the equipment in the veterinary practice, it may be that the samples from the four-legged patient cannot be examined on site, but must be sent to a laboratory.
Various medications are available to the veterinarian for the treatment of an infection with babesiosis. How well these work depends, among other things, on how soon treatment begins and how far the disease has progressed.
If a large number of erythrocytes have already been destroyed as a result of babesiosis, blood transfusions may be necessary in addition to drug treatment to counteract the dog's anaemia.
If organ damage has occurred as a result of the advanced stage of the disease, this must of course also be treated in an appropriate manner.
How well dogs get over an infection with babesiosis depends on various factors. Among other things, the type of Babesia species the animal has contracted and how far the disease has progressed is decisive. Last but not least, it also depends on the general health of the dog.
Healthy animals with a well functioning immune system tend to cope better with the infection than animals that are already weakened, for example due to their age or a previous illness.
Keep in mind that untreated babesiosis in dogs is often fatal and you should therefore contact a veterinarian if you suspect that your four-legged friend may be ill.
It is possible to vaccinate dogs against babesiosis. Vaccination does not offer complete protection against infection. However, it can at least help to prevent a serious course of the disease. Depending on where you live and which ticks are predominant there, vaccination may be beneficial for your dog. It is best to talk to a veterinarian about the individual benefits for your four-legged friend.
Canine babesiosis is not the only disease that can be transmitted by ticks. In addition, the bloodsucking parasites can also infect your dog with borreliosis, anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis and TBE. Good protection against ticks is therefore crucial not only with regard to minimising the risk of contracting babesiosis.
There is a wide range of various tick repellents for dogs. You have the choice between spot-on treatment and sprays, among others. Unfortunately, many conventional preparations are not without risk because they contain chemical agents. These can not only kill ticks, but they also represent a burden on your dog's organism that should not be underestimated.
For this reason, we recommend that you seek natural solutions for tick prevention, such as Bellfor ZEComplete Spray. Bellfor's ZEComplete Spray contains insect fat and various oils with a high content of lauric acid.
Lauric acid has a deterrent effect on ticks. With ZEComplete Spray you can therefore significantly reduce the risk of tick infestation in your dog without using any chemicals.
Get to know Bellfor ZEComplete Spray
According to current scientific knowledge, the Babesia species responsible for babesiosis in dogs are harmless to humans. Contracting the disease from a dog is therefore not possible.
However, ticks can of course infect people with various pathogens as well, including certain Babesia species. Therefore, when you go for a walk, make sure not only to protect your four-legged friend from the annoying parasites, but also yourself.
As you can see, babesiosis is serious matter for dogs. You should therefore pay attention to any symptoms so that your four-legged friend can be treated at an early stage if necessary. Even though canine babesiosis is still relatively rare in our regions compared to Lyme disease, starting treatment early can make a decisive contribution to the four-legged patients surviving the parasitic infectious disease well.
Regardless, good tick prevention is essential during the warmer months of the year to protect your dog from tick bites and the associated risk of contracting disease.
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