Hemoparasites in canines of the municipality of Araguaína, Tocantins

Abstract

Hemoparasitoses are among the major challenges in veterinary medical practice due to the serious clinical signs they cause in infected dogs. Protozoa and bacteria are among the major hemoparasites often found in symptomatic patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency and potential risk factors associated with hemoparasite infection in dogs in the city of Araguaina, state of Tocantins. We analyzed 159 medical records of canine patients in which the blood samples were submitted to rapid panoptic staining and the blood smear was read under light microscopy with 1000x magnification. A positivity of 35.83% was observed for Ehrlichia canis, 25.83% for Anaplasma platys, 11.67% for Mycoplasma haemocanis, 22.5% for Babesia spp. and 4.17% for Hepatozoon spp. None of the variables was shown to be a risk factor associated with hemoparasitosis. Therefore, it was verified the circulation of hemoparasites in canine specimens in the municipality of Araguaina, being more prevalent Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys and Babesia spp. Therefore, it is recommended that veterinary clinicians carry out complementary tests of patients with clinical suspicion of hemoparasitosis.