Advances in Biological Research 12 (5): 162-168, 2018 ISSN 1992-0067 © IDOSI Publications, 2018 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.abr.2018.162.168 Corresponding Author: Jirata Shiferaw, Department of Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box. 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia. 162 Clinical and Hematological Aspects Associated with Dogs Naturally Infected with Blood Parasite at Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia Jirata Shiferaw, Berhane Wakjira and Hika Waktole 1 1 2 Department of Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, 1 Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box. 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine 2 and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box. 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia Abstract: Overrun of haemoparasite in the country is interface with health risk of domestic animals mostly those found under poor management condition. This life threatening disease was arise from the vector as an agent, usually the ticks that transmit an infection from animal to animals and even between animals and human being. Therefore this study was hypothesized to evaluate clinical and hematological aspects of dogs naturally infected with blood parasite presented at Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Blood films of 50 naturally infected dogs were examined for haematological alterations and parasitaemia. Peculiar symptoms and clinical signs were recorded from the animals. Clinical histories were filled out during the session. Of the 50 positive dogs by Giemsa stained peripheral blood films, 28% presented parasitaemia by Babesia canis. Only, 25.57% had the combination of B. canis and Ehrlichia canis. The prevalence of canine babesiosis was statistically significant (P<0.05). There were also statistically significant deference (P<0.05) between age group of dogs. There were no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between sex of dogs. Young male dogs less than one-year-old were the most commonly affected. Furthermore, 58% and 40% were presented with pale mucosal membrane and anorexia/inappetence, respectively as the primary and secondary clinical symptom. Other clinical symptoms were weight loss (34%), lymphadenophaty (28%), mild to moderate fever (22%), a few were also showing the signs of vomiting (12%), corneal opacity (6%), paralysis (4%), diarrhea (4%) and mucosal bleeding (2%). Haematological alterations showed mainly normochromic-normocytic anemia, leukocytosis and neutrophilia. The findings of this study demonstrate that babesiosis caused clinical and haematological alterations of the varied intensity in dogs, even with low parasitaemia, should be taken into consideration. Further biochemical test associated with the causative agent should be analyzed. Key words: Clinical Signs Dogs Ethiopia Haematology Haemoparasite INTRODUCTION leukocytes [1, 2]. Canine babesiosis and hepatozoonosis Blood parasites are organisms that live in the blood erythrocytes and neutrophils or monocytes respectively. of their animal hosts. These parasites can range from Babesiosis is a disease transmitted by ticks. It is single-celled protozoa to more complex bacteria and caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia, rickettsiae. The method of transmission varies, depending which infect the red blood cells. Babesiosis affects a on the parasite, but often they are transmitted through the wide range of domestic and wild animals and, bites of ticks or flies. Canine ehrlichiosis is a tick borne occasionally, humans. Recently, 3.64% prevalence of rickettsial disease, also known as tropical canine Bovine babesiosis was reported by Hika et al. [3]. pancytopenia or canine rickettsiosis which infects This indicates the major economic impact of babesiosis is are tick borne hemoprotozoan diseases which infect