Effects of Low-Dose Diminazene Aceturate Injection Followed by Clindamycin Administration for Treating Canine Babesia Gibsoni Infection

A total of 242 dogs diagnosed with acute Babesia gibsoni infection were administered three subcutaneous injections of low-dose diminazene aceturate (DA). After the initial DA treatment, 20 dogs in grave condition were excluded, and the remaining 222 were divided into 2 groups for the evaluation of clindamycin treatment from days 8 to 29: the clindamycin group, which received oral clindamycin and the control group, which received no drugs. Between days 8 and 29, relapse was observed in 13 of 80 dogs in the clindamycin-group, as compared to 42 of 142 dogs in the control. The relapse rate in the clindamycin-group was significantly lower compared to the control. Low-dose DA injection followed by oral clindamycin administration could effectively prevent relapse.