Description of dogs naturally infected with Hepatozoon canis in the Aegean region of Turkey

Authors: SERDAR PAŞA, FUNDA KIRAL, TÜLİN KARAGENÇ, ABİDİN ATASOY, KAMİL SEYREK

Abstract: Clinical and laboratory findings recorded in 10 dogs naturally infected with Hepatozoon canis in the Aegean region of Turkey were reported. The diagnosis was made by finding H. canis gamonts within leucocytes in Giemsa-stained blood smears. H. canis parasitaemia level was calculated manually by counting 500 neutrophils in blood smears. Parasitaemia varied from 1% to 23% of the circulating neutrophils. Anorexia, fever, depression, weight loss, and lymphadenopathy are the main clinical signs in infected dogs. All dogs had microcytic normochromic anaemia; however, 7 of the dogs had neutrophilia, 1 had lymphopenia, 2 had monocytosis, 1 had eosinophilia, and 9 had thrombocytopenia. Abnormal serum biochemical values were hyperproteinaemia (7 of 10 dogs), hypoalbuminaemia (9 of 10 dogs), hyperglobulinaemia (7 of 10 dogs), increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity (2 of 10 dogs), and increased serum creatinine kinase activity (8 of 10 dogs). Concurrent infections such as Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Anaplasma platys were detected with a polymerase chain reaction test and 8 dogs had 2 or 3 of these concurrent infections.

Keywords: Hepatozoon canis, clinico-pathological findings, Rhipicephalus sanguineus

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