Sterilisation of Babesia canis infections by imidocarb alone or in combination with diminazene.

Babesia canis infections were apparently sterilised by a single dose of imidocarb at 7.5 mg kg-1, as well as by a single dose of diminazene at 3.5 mg kg-1, followed by a single dose of imidocarb at 6 mg kg-1 the following day. This was confirmed by subinoculation of blood from these dogs to splenectomised recipients. Sterilisation of the infection is not recommended in endemic areas; a more rational approach would be to allow a state of premunity to develop in dogs at risk to repeated infections.