Coccidiosis: Prevalence, Epizootiological Risk Factors, Hematological and
Serum Biochemical Profile in Clinically Infected Pet Dogs
Quratulain1,
Shabeena Akhtar 1, Mazhar Qayyum 1, Imtiaz
Ahmad Khan 2, Muhammad Naveed Anwar3, Mohsin
Nawaz4, Tauseef ur Rehman5,Muhammad
Rashid5, Muhammad Ehsan5, Ghulam Hussain
Dilbar5, Muhammad Adeel Hassan6 and Muhammad
Irfan Malik5*
1Department of Zoology, PMAS
Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; 2Faculty
of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, PMAS Arid Agriculture University,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan; 3Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan; 4Faculty of Veterinary and
Animal Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir,
Pakistan; 5Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The
Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 6Faculty of
Veterinary Sciences, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal
Sciences, Bahawalpur *Corresponding author:
muhammadirfan@iub.edu.pk
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate the
prevalence, epizootological profile, and haematological and serum biochemistry
changes in coccidiosis infected pet dogs of Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Pakistan. For
this purpose, 150 blood and faecal samples were collected from dogs of various
breeds. Data regarding the epizootolgical risk factors were collected through a
questionnaire at the time of sample collection. The faecal examination
illustrated a
16.67% prevalence of coccidiosis in dogs.
Data analysis of associated risk factors revealed that locality (P = 0.001),
domestication (P = 0.000), and sanitary conditions (P = 0.000) have a
significant impact. Whereas there was a non-significant association among age,
gender, breed and faecal consistency in coccidiosis infected animals.
Various hematological parameters were compared and revealed that
non-significant difference in coccidiosis positive samples compared to the
control group. The biochemical parameters showed significant differences in
serum total protein (P = 0.001) and
serum albumin (P = 0.003) among
infected and control animal samples. This study finding provide
baseline data
and valuable information to the owners, public health authorities, researchers
and the veterinary community on the risk factors, complications and probable
transmission of canine coccidiosis.
To Cite This Article:
Quratulain, Akhtar S, Qayyum M, Khan IA, Anwar
MN, Nawaz M, Rehman TU, Rashid M, Ehsan M, Dilbar GH, Hassan MA and Malik MI,
2023. Coccidiosis: prevalence, epizootiological risk
factors, hematological and serum biochemical profile in clinically infected pet
dogs. Pak Vet J, 43(4): 831-834.
http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2023.113