title: Evaluation of the effect of whole-blood transfusion on the oxygen status and acid-base balance of Babesia canis infected dogs using the oxygen status algorithm.
abstract: The usefulness of whole-blood transfusion in normalising the blood-gas, acid-base, and arterial oxygen status in severe babesiosis was demonstrated in 6 severely affected Babesia canis infected dogs. These dogs all demonstrated a metabolic acidosis at admission and yet were not acidaemic. It is possible that this may reflect a mixed acid-base disorder (metabolic acidosis with respiratory alkalosis). They all showed severe hypoxaemia at admission. A number of derived blood-gas and acid-base parameters as determined by the Oxygen Status Algorithm (OSA) were shown to be a superior way of assessing and monitoring the temporal response of severe babesiosis cases to blood transfusion. It was shown that fresh whole-blood transfusion is a safe and physiological way of reversing acid-base and blood-gas derangements associated with severe babesiosis in dogs. Intravenous alkalinisation with sodium bicarbonate for the treatment of the metabolic acidosis of babesiosis is questioned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Leisewitz
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Guthrie
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D000137:Acid-Base Imbalance / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen