Anaemia in a litter of Siamese kittens

Abstract

ABSTRACT Anaemias sufficiently severe to produce haemic cardiac murmurs were detected in four out of a litter of five Siamese kittens at 9 weeks of age. From the measurement of the haematologal parameters and examination of blood films, the anaemias were classified as iron deficiency complicated by haemobartonellosis. After two weeks, the murmurs disappeared and the anaemias were resolving but H. felis were still present in blood smears albeit in smaller numbers. Since the dam also had H. felis and there were no external parasites it is presumed that transmission occurred either transplacentally or via the milk.