THE EFFECT OF BABESIA-CANIS INDUCED HEMOLYSIS ON THE CANINE HEMOGLOBIN OXYGEN DISSOCIATION CURVE

Samples of blood from normal healthy (n=7) and Babesia canis-infected dogs (n=7) were subjected to varying oxygen tensions in a tonometer, a fter which the samples were subjected to blood gas analysis and haemox imetry. This data was used to plot haemoglobin oxygen dissociation cur ves (ODC) for both groups of dogs . States of acidosis and hypercapnia were then simulated by modelling, and the response of the 2 haemoglob in oxygen dissociation curves compared. The ODC of the B. canis-infect ed group showed a decreased ability to shift to the right when compare d to that of the normal, healthy ODC. This decreased Bohr effect proba bly exacerbates the severe tissue hypoxia associated with this disease by impairing the ability of haemoglobin to off-load oxygen at the tis sue level.