794 



Piroplasmosis of Dogs. 



kidneys, and the bone marrow. In these, and also in the lungs 

 and pericardium small hemorrhages, and in some cases acute 

 catarrh of the stomach and duodenum, with bloody contents in 

 the intestines may be found, and in many cases also general 

 icterus. The changes are generally less pronounced in very 

 acute cases, while in chronic cases icterus is frequently absent, 

 on the other hand a severe anemia is present. Piroplasma may 

 be demonstrated in great numbers, especially in the kidneys and 

 in the spleen. 



Symptoms. After an incubation of 7 to 10 days, a rise of the 

 body temperature which inside of 2-3 days reaches 40°-43° C, 

 and which is associated with languor, is observed in the acute 

 cases as a first symptom. The visible mucous membranes appear 

 at first a pale red, later cyanotic, and in about half of the cases 

 also icteric. The pulse and the respiration are accelerated, the 

 latter is moreover very labored- and panting. The patients re- 

 fuse food, but drink a great deal. They move listlessly and 

 stagger, and towards the end they can scarcely stand on their 

 feet. 



The urine contains 

 albumen from the onset, 

 and in some of the cases 

 up to 3%% hemoglobin, 

 sometimes also bile pig- 

 ments; for this reason 

 it shows a more or less 

 intense red coloration 

 with a greenish hue. Ac- 

 cording to Maignon the 

 quantity of urea in- 

 creases at each febrile 

 attack (up to 95 gm. per 

 liter of urine), and sugar 

 also appears in the urine. 

 The blood is pale 

 red, the blood serum also 

 reddish or greenish-red 

 in color. The number of 

 erythrocytes diminishes 

 to 1/2 to 1/3 of the nor- 

 mal or even more, while 

 the leucocytes appear 

 to be increased. Piro- 

 plasma are found at first exclusively in the red blood corpuscles, 

 later also in the blood plasma. In the later course of the 

 disease their number increases, so that finally even 30% of 

 the erythrocytes may be infested with them. With their in- 

 crease the percentage of the red blood corpuscles diminishes, 

 and an increase of hemoglobin in the plasma occurs. 



Fig. 140. Fever curve in piroplasmosis of dogs. 

 After subcutaneous injection of virulent blood; 

 7-year-old dog; recovery. (After Wetzl.) 



