A retrospective study of the therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline on concurrent canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis in a veterinary hospital population

Doxycycline has a well known broad spectrum activity against bacteria and rickettsia, as well as Ehrlichia spp. However, the use of doxycycline for the treatment of concurrent ehrlichiosis and babesiosis has rarely been evaluated, especially in veterinary hospital populations. A retrospective study of 70 canine ehrlichiosis and 12 canine babesiosis concurrent infections from Out Patient Department patients at Chulalongkorn Small Animal Teaching Hospital, admitted during 2001–2003, were studied. The results showed a complete curative effect of doxycycline on both canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis concurrent infections. The red blood cell indices after treatment were significantly higher in canine ehrlichiosis (P < 0.05). The platelet cell counts after treatment were significantly higher in concurrent canine ehrlichiosis and babesiosis infections (P < 0.05). Doxycycline can be recommended as the drug of choice for both canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis and concurrent infections of both conditions in veterinary hospitals.