title: Hemostatic abnormalities in uncomplicated babesiosis (Babesia rossi) in dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Babesiosis in dogs is associated with severe thrombocytopenia; yet infected dogs rarely show clinical signs of hemorrhage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Dogs with uncomplicated babesiosis have normal hemostatic capacity despite severe thrombocytopenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen client-owned dogs with uncomplicated babesiosis; 10 healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, cross-sectional, observational study. Thromboelastography (TEG), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen, D-dimers, and antithrombin (AT) measured in both groups. Statistical significance set at P < .01.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Babesiosis group hematocrit and platelet count significantly lower than controls (0.29 versus 0.50 L/L; P < .001 and 20.0 versus 374.5 × 10(9)/L; P < .001, respectively). Except for K, no significant difference in TEG variables between groups. Hemostatic variables for babesiosis group versus controls (mean ± SD); R: 5.9 ± 1.8 versus 4.6 ± 0.9 min (P = .048); K: 2.8 ± 1.1 versus 1.9 ± 0.6 min (P = .003); angle: 55.5 ± 11.7 versus 62.2 ± 4.1 degrees (P = .036); MA: 48.4 ± 9.7 versus 57.2 ± 5.2 mm (P = 0.013); G: 5.1 ± 1.9 versus 6.9 ± 1.5 dyn/cm(2) (P = .019); LY30 (median, range): 0 (0-5.7) versus 0.6% (0-6.1) (P = .152); and LY60: 0 (0-8.8) versus 3.1% (0-13.1) (P = .012). AT activity significantly lower (105.2 ± 16.5 versus 127.8 ± 15.4%; P = .001). Fibrinogen concentration significantly higher in babesiosis group (5.7 ± 1.3 versus. 3.0 ± 0.7 g/L; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite severe thrombocytopenia, dogs with uncomplicated babesiosis did not have clinical signs of hemorrhage and TEG variables were normal, which could indicate a normocoagulable state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liebenberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goddard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wiinberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kjelgaard-Hansen
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: van der Merwe
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Matjila
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Schoeman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male