A prospective, randomized comparison of Oxyglobin (HB-200) and packed red blood cell transfusion for canine babesiosis

Objective – To establish the efficacy of Oxyglobin (HB-200) in canine babesiosis and compare it to standard therapy, packed red blood cell transfusion (pRBCT) with respect to improvements in specific parameters of blood gas, acid-base, blood pressure, and subjective evaluations.
Design – Prospective, randomized, clinical trial.
Setting – Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital.
Animals – Twelve dogs (8–25 kg) naturally infected with Babesia rossi and a hematocrit of 0.1–0.2 L/L (10–20%).
Interventions – Treatment groups were randomized to receive either 20 mL/kg of Oxyglobin or pRBCT over 4 hours via a central venous catheter. Transfusions were followed by lactated Ringer's solution infusion. Rectal temperature, femoral arterial and mixed venous blood sampling, oscillometric blood pressure, and subjective assessment of patient status (habitus), and appetite were performed at time points 0, 1, 4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours.
Main Results – Dogs presented with a hypoalbuminemic alkalosis; hyperchloremic, dilutional acidosis; normotensive tachycardia; pyrexia; depression; and anorexia. Both treatments produced similar results, with the exception of significant differences in pH (4 h); PCO₂ (4 h); hemoglobin (8 h, 24 h); mean arterial pressure (48 h); albumin (4 h, 8 h); habitus (8 h, 48 h); and appetite (24 h). Arterial O₂ content was higher for pRBCT than Oxyglobin at 72 hours, but central venous PO₂ did not differ between groups or over time and was consistently subnormal.
Conclusions – Oxyglobin provides similar overall improvements to pRBCT in dogs with anemia from babesiosis, with respect to blood gas, acid-base and blood pressure, although patients receiving packed cells tended to have more rapid normalization of habitus and appetite.