Canine ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis are important tick-borne diseases with a worldwide distribution. Information has been continuously collected on these infections in Europe, and publications have increased in recent years. Prevalence rates are high for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma spp. infections in dogs from different European countries. The goal of this article was to provide a practical guideline for veterinary practitioners on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in dogs from Europe. This guideline is intended to answer the most common questions on these diseases from a practical point of view.

This survey assessed the feline transfusion practices at the University of Berlin from 1998 to 2001 in regard to patient population, indications, efficacy, and transfusion reactions. Blood was obtained from seven healthy in-house donors and 127 mostly indoor client-owned pet cats. Over a 3-year period 91 cats were transfused with blood type compatible blood. The blood was fresh (within 8 h of collection) or stored no longer than 15 days. Transfusions were required because of blood loss anaemia ( n=40), haemolytic anaemia ( n=13), ineffective erythropoiesis ( n=35), hypoproteinaemia ( n=2) or coagulopathy ( n=2). The anaemic cats had a pretransfusion haematocrit of 5–20% ( m [median]=13), and received one to six transfusions ( m=1). The survival rates of the anaemic cats at 1 and 10 days after transfusion were 84 and 64%, respectively. None of the deaths appeared to be related to transfusion reactions. The major crossmatch, undertaken before 117 transfusions, was incompatible for eight cats. All except for one had previously been transfused. Lysis of transfused cells in six cases resulted in a less than expected haematocrit rise and an increase in serum bilirubin. Transient mild transfusion reactions were only noted in two cats during the second or third transfusion. In conclusion, with proper donor selection and appropriate compatibility screening, blood transfusions are well tolerated, appear effective, and may increase chances of survival.

The human-animal bond has been a fundamental feature of mankind's history for millennia. The first, and strongest of these, man's relationship with the dog, is believed to pre-date even agriculture, going back as far as 30,000 years. It remains at least as powerful today. Fed by the changing nature of the interactions between people and their dogs worldwide and the increasing tendency towards close domesticity, the health of dogs has never played a more important role in family life. Thanks to developments in scientific understanding and diagnostic techniques, as well as changing priorities of pet owners, veterinarians are now able, and indeed expected, to play a fundamental role in the prevention and treatment of canine disease, including canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs). The CVBDs represent a varied and complex group of diseases, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, bartonellosis, borreliosis, dirofilariosis, ehrlichiosis, leishmaniosis, rickettsiosis and thelaziosis, with new syndromes being uncovered every year. Many of these diseases can cause serious, even life-threatening clinical conditions in dogs, with a number having zoonotic potential, affecting the human population. Today, CVBDs pose a growing global threat as they continue their spread far from their traditional geographical and temporal restraints as a result of changes in both climatic conditions and pet dog travel patterns, exposing new populations to previously unknown infectious agents and posing unprecedented challenges to veterinarians. In response to this growing threat, the CVBD World Forum, a multidisciplinary group of experts in CVBDs from around the world which meets on an annual basis, gathered in Nice (France) in 2011 to share the latest research on CVBDs and discuss the best approaches to managing these diseases around the world. As a result of these discussions, we, the members of the CVBD Forum have developed the following recommendations to veterinarians for the management of CVBDs.