Haemobartonella canis

Haemobartonella canis
Phylum	Firmicutes
Class	Mollicutes
Order	Mycoplasmatales
Family	Mycoplasmataceae
Genus	Mycoplasma
Species	H.canis

Also known as: Mycoplasma haemocanis

Causes: Canine haemobartonellosis

Introduction

Haemobartonella canis is a species of the Mycoplasmas genus. Dogs infected with Haemobartonella canis are usually asymptomatic although it can cause regenerative haemolytic anaemia. The organism is transmitted by ticks and causes clinical signs by attaching to the outside of red blood cells. Clinical signs are usually mild except in cases where the animal has had a previous splenectomy or is undergoing chemotherapy and has a compromised immune system.

Signalment

Disease usually affects adult dogs.

Diagnosis

Clinical Signs

• Mild-moderate anaemia
• Pale mucous membranes

Laboratory Tests

The organism can be identified on a blood smear stained with a Giemsa-Wright stain. PCR can also be used to detect the organism and some cases will be Coomb's test positive.

The parasitaemia is cyclic and therefore the organism will not always be identified in the blood.

Treatment

Treatment with doxycycline, tetracycline or oxytetracycline is usually effective. Supportive treatment of blood transfusions may be needed in severe cases. Glucocorticoids can also be administered. The PCV should be monitored until it has returned to a normal level and clinical signs have resolved.

Prognosis

Infection with H. canis is usually non-pathogenic unless animals have had a previous splenectomy or chemotherapy, in these cases the prognosis depends on the severity of clinical signs and level of concurrent disease but treatment is usually successful.

Haemobartonella canis Learning Resources
Literature Search Search for recent publications via CAB Abstract (CABI log in required)	Haemobartonella canis and canine haemobartonelosis publications

References

• Blood, D.C. and Studdert, V. P. (1999) Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary (2nd Edition) Elsevier Science
• Tilley, L.P. and Smith, F.W.K.(2004)The 5-minute Veterinary Consult (Third edition) Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins

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