Evaluation of thyroid function abnormalities in sixty dogs naturally infected with babesia canis

Abstract

Canine babesiosis is world-wide tick-borne disease characterized by erythrocyte destruction, haemolysis and inflammatory response, with increased serum concentrations of positive acute phase proteins and a decrease in negative acute phase proteins. Some of the negative acute phase proteins function as carriers of thyroid hormones, so the goal of this study was to determine the non-thyroidal illness syndrome in dogs with babesiosis. The study included 60 dogs with babesiosis and 26 healthy dogs. Serum concentrations of thyroxine, thyrotropin and transthyretin were determined using ELISA methods, while albumin concentrations were measured using spectrophotometric methods. Statistical analysis of the data demonstrated a significant decrease in thyroxine, transthyretin and albumin in dogs with babesiosis, while thyrotropin concentrations were did not differ significantly in comparison with healthy dogs. The results obtained indicate the presence of a non-thyroidal illness. Decreased albumin and transthyretin probably represent one of the mechanisms which contribute to this syndrome in canine babesiosis.