Hematological changes during the course of canine babesiosis caused by large Babesia in domestic dogs in Warsaw (Poland)

In the presented study we evaluated the hematological changes in samples of blood obtained from 248 dogs naturally infected with large Babesia. The evaluation included red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), leucocyte counts, thrombocyte counts, mean platelet volume (MPV), morphology of erythrocytes and leucogram. The most common disorders in affected dogs were thrombocytopenia and anisocytosis. The count of erythrocytes below reference values was detected in 26.2% of dogs and 31.4% of affected animals presented hematocrit below the reference values. Hemoglobin concentration below the reference values was noted in 29% of dogs, an increase of MCHC above normal values was detected in 21% of examinated dogs and MCV below normal values was recognized in 2% of dogs. 60.5% of dogs presented anisocytosis, 25% poikilocytosis, 23.8% polychromasia, 19.7% hypochromia and 4.4% erythroblastosis. Thrombocytopenia was detected in 99.5% of dogs, but only 15.3% of examined animals showed increase of MPV, which suggests a response of the bone marrow. 36.3% of dogs had neutropenia, and 21.8% presented a left shift, 14.9% had the lymphocytosis and 7.2% lymphopenia.