HEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE IN EXPERIMENTAL CANINE BABESIOSIS (BABESIA-CANIS)

Haematological and biochemical parameters of dogs experimentally infec ted with Babesia canis were followed during a period of 12 weeks. A fe w days after infection a normocytic, normochromic, anaemia developed t hat became slightly hypochromic and macrocytic after 12 days and regen erative after 28 days. Five seeks after infection red blood cell param eters returned to normal. Thrombocytopenia was present during the whol e observation period of 12 weeks. The most important changes in the re d blood cell parameters and certainly in thrombocyte levels occurred d uring the parasitaemic phases. Leucopenia due to neutropenia, lymphocy topenia and monocytopenia was irregularly observed, Mast white blood c ell parameters returned to normal after 11 weeks, but an eosinaphilia developed from 7 weeks onwards. Moderate and temporary increases of bi lirubin, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were observed during the first parasitaemic phase. Prolonged hypoalbuminemi a was noticed until 5 weeks after infection.