Advice & Suggestions please - Page 3

Also, the drug company said that most dogs that were infected with Babesia that werent pit or am. staff were bitten by a pit or am. staff. here is another link on that also. http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests-diseases/animals/risk/babesia-gibsoni-ra.pdf Vickie

Vickie, thank you for the links. It is correct that there is a higher incidence of babesiosis in American Pit Bull terriers and Greyhounds than other breeds, but one of the articles also indicates that 13% of dogs in California animal shelters were found to be positive for babesia as well...so clearly all dogs are at risk if they are exposed to the organism. While nearly all of the military working dogs that returned to the States after the Vietnam war were infected with ehrlichiosis, the organism was already endemic in most of the world (including the US), and given the paltry number of dogs which were permitted to return stateside, they cannot be blamed for bringing that disease to the US, or be accused of increasing it's incidence. A history of ehrlichiosis in humans, with mention of the research done prior to the first human cases, can be found here: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol2no1/walker1.htm

Hi All, Many many thanks. I have copied all of the details and sent it to my friend. She was delighted. It made it credible to her that she needs to get back to the vet asap - in fact she is going to do it this morning (possibly armed with all of the postings ha ha) so the vet will have some good bedtime reading. Carol is a very determined girl, and I can only think that it was the loss of her first dog, tragically, that caused her to not even "go there" with thinking that this dog was in danger - it was easier on the mind for her to believe the vet would see him happy in 10 days. Now that you have all got her up and running - I can assure you the vet has some-one to reckon with until the job is done.I can also say that if the vet isnt willing to move quickly, another vet will be saught immediately, She is very impressed with your help, and advice, and is asking to join the database - so again, many thanks. Whatever the outcome, I will let you know. This database can be a wonderful place for help. Mo Lakin mascani