Hypotensive shock syndrome associated with acute Babesia canis infection in a dog

A Doberman Pinscher contracted babesiosis after receiving a fresh blood transfusion from a Greyhound blood donor. Hypotensive shock syndrome was suspected on the basis of arterial hypotension, weakness, and pyrexia in the absence of detectable hemolysis and within hours of detection of low numbers of circulating Babesia canis organisms. Treatment with imidocarb dipropionate appears to have been effective in eliminating circulating B canis organisms and clinical disease. The blood donor, recently acquired from a race track, was healthy and lacked any abnormalities on initial laboratory evaluation; however, its serum antibody titer for B canis was > 1:5,000; B canis organisms were later identified on blood smears after the dog had been splenectomized and treated with corticosteroids at an immunosuppressive dosage. This case draws attention to a potential problem in current screening practices for infectious diseases of retired racing Greyhounds intended for use as blood donors.