Blood parasites of dogs in Ibadan

Between March, 1974 and February, 1975, blood smears made from 500 of the dogs brought to the small animal clinic of the University of Ibadan and the state owned veterinary clinic in the same town were stained with Giemsa and examined for blood parasites. Forty-nine per cent of the dogs carried blood parasites, the commonest of which was Babesia cards. Others were B. gibsoni, Haemobartonella canis, Trypanosoma congolense, Eperythrozoon and Microfilaria. The parasitaemia due to these parasites in the dogs examined was mostly light, although a substantial number of dogs had medium and heavy parasitaemias. No significant difference was found in the susceptibility of the local and exotic breeds to infection with the parasites.