Prevalence of haemoparasites in pet, working and stray dogs of Assam and North-East India: A hospital based study

Aim: This research work is aimed to find out the prevalence of haemoparasitic infections in different categories of dogs. Materials and Methods: Out of 2104 dogs registered in the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex of the College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara, Guwahati during January 2009 to December 2010, blood of 424 cases suspected for haemoparasites on the basis of clinical history were microscopically examined in wet blood film and giemsa stained blood smears. Results: The prevalence was 57.31% in the hospital population comprising pet (58.03%) and working (54.54%) dogs and 63.64% in stray dog population. A total of 7 species viz. Babesia gibsoni (47.16%), Ehrlichia (Anaplasma) platys (8.49%), Dirofilaria immitis (2.83%), Ehrlichia canis (2.12%), Babesia canis (1.41%), Hepatozoon canis (1.41%) and Ehrlichia ewingii (0.47%) in single or mixed infections were recorded. B. gibsoni was found to be most predominant haemoprotozoan species. However, B. canis, the large form of Babesia was detected in very few dogs. Similarly, inclusion of E. platys inside blood platelets, although rare in occurrence, was more easily detectable than that of E. canis inside the monocytes and lymphocytes. Infection with D. immitis in pet dogs (2.38%) was comparatively lower than in working dogs (4.54%) and found in single and mixed infections with B. gibsoni, B. canis and E. platys. Hepatozoon canis was recorded in 6 hospital dogs either in single or mixed infection with B. gibsoni and E. platys. Six species of haemoparasites namely B. gibsoni (47.72%), D. immitis (27.27%), E. platys (4.54%), E. canis (2.27%), E. ewingii (2.27%) and H. canis (2.27%) were detected in blood of stray dogs. Trypanosoma evansi as recorded in dogs from other parts of the country was not detected in this study. Conclusion: Present findings led to a significant conclusion that Assam and adjoining states of North East region of India are highly enzootic for the vector borne haemoparasites of dog.