Babesia vulpes in a dog from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

A 12-year-old neutered male American Staffordshire terrier dog was referred to the Atlantic Veterinary College, Prince Edward Island, Canada, for suspected immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Babesiosis (Babesia vulpes) was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction testing. The dog was successfully treated with a 10-day protocol of atovaquone/proguanil (TEVA Pharmaceutical Industries, Toronto, Ontario), 13.5 mg/kg BW, PO, q8h and azithromycin (Pharmascience, Montreal, Quebec), 10 mg/kg BW, PO, q24h. To the authors' knowledge, this report is the first documented case of babesiosis caused by Babesia vulpes in a dog from Canada.

Babesia vulpes chez un chien de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Canada. Un chien American Staffordshire terrier mâle castré de 12 ans a été référé au Atlantic Veterinary College, Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Canada, pour suspicion d'anémie hémolytique à médiation immunitaire. La babésiose (Babesia vulpes) a été confirmée à l'aide d'un test d'amplification en chaîne par la polymérase. Le chien a été traité avec succès avec un protocole de 10 jours d'atovaquone/proguanil (TEVA Pharmaceutical Industries, Toronto, Ontario), 13,5 mg/kg BW, PO, q8h et azithromycine (Pharmascience, Montréal, Québec), 10 mg/kg BW, PO, q24h. À la connaissance des auteurs, ce rapport est le premier cas documenté de babésiose causée par Babesia vulpes chez un chien du Canada.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Effects of stylet-in versus stylet-out collection of cerebrospinal fluid from the cisterna magna on contamination of samples, sample quality, and collection time.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate safety of stylet-in and stylet-out techniques for collection of CSF from the cisterna magna and to assess whether there were differences between techniques with regard to contamination of samples, sample quality, and efficiency of collection. ANIMALS: 10 adult purpose-bred research Beagles. PROCEDURES: A prospective crossover study was conducted. Preanesthetic physical and neurologic examinations and hematologic analyses were performed. Dogs were anesthetized, and collection of CSF samples from the cisterna magna by use of a stylet-in or stylet-out technique was performed. Two weeks later, samples were collected with the other sample collection technique. Samples of CSF were processed within 1 hour after collection. RESULTS: Cellular debris was detected in higher numbers in stylet-in samples, although this did not affect sample quality. The stylet-out technique was performed more rapidly. No adverse effects were detected for either technique. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Both techniques could be safely performed in healthy anesthetized dogs. The stylet-out technique was performed more rapidly and yielded a sample with less cellular debris. Both techniques can be used in clinical practice to yield CSF samples with good diagnostic quality.