Clinico-haematological Profile and Therapeutic Management of Acute Babesiosis in Sheep and Goats

Small ruminants were presented for treatment with the complaint of anorexia, general weakness and lethargy. The common clinical signs included emaciation, suspended rumination, tachycardia, anaemic mucous membranes and prolonged capillary refill time (CRT). Babesia ovis and B. motasi were identified on microscopic examination of the peripheral blood smears. Severe anaemia was confirmed on haematological evaluation. The animals were given diminazene aceturate, oxytetracycline dihydrate, hematinic, rumenotoric and dextrose-electrolyte. Fresh blood transfusion was additionally performed in two animals. Out of six, five animals survived and one died on second day of treatment. Occurrence of severe acute babesiosis in sheep and goats of Kashmir was thus reported for the first time. Standard treatment protocol showed encouraging results for this disease. However, animals in terminal stage with extremely low PCV may not survive even after blood transfusion. Veterinarians need to be watchful of the vector borne diseases that may now spread beyond the known areas due to global warming and climate change.