Parasites that infect the fetus transplacentally in dogs may cause life-threatening disease in the fetus and newborn. Review these parasites and management approaches for each:
- Toxocara canis
- Neospora caninum
- Babesiosis
- Leishmaniasis
- Dirofilarial microfilariae
Source: Clinician’s Brief, July 2016.
Transplacental transmission also allows vector-borne diseases to cycle when vectors are not active or present in a geographic area and can contribute to introduction and establishment of parasites where they previously did not occur. This mode of transmission is well-known for some parasites (e.g., Toxocara canis) and more recently shown to occur with others (e.g., Leishmania infantum).