SERUM ASSESSMENT OF DOGS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH SINGLE TRYPANOSOMA CONGOLENSE AND CONJUNCT TRYPANOSOMA CONGOLENSE AND ANCYLOSTOMA CANINUM INFECTIONS AND TREATMENT WITH DIMINAZENE ACETURATE AND MEBENDAZOLE
*Nwoha R. I. O. and Anene B. M.
ABSTRACT
Aim: The health dangers associated with disease caused by different species of trypanosomes in dogs necessitated the serological assessment of dogs experimentally infected with single Trypanosoma congolense (T.congolense) and conjunct Trypanosoma congolense (T.congolense) and Ancylostoma caninum (A.caninum) infections and treatment with diminazene aceturate and mebendazole. Materials/ methods: Twelve mongrels of both sexes weighing between 4 to 8 kg were used in the study. They were randomly grouped into 3 to 4 members each. Group I was uninfected control, Group II was infected with T.congolense, Group III was infected with conjunct T.congolense/A.caninum. Post acclimatization, GPII was infected with 200 L3 infective dose of A.caninum. Two weeks post infection 2.5 x106 doses of T.congolense was used to infect GPII and GPIII. Result: Results show a significant increase (p<0.05) in total protein, bilirubin and cholesterol level of GPII and GPIII. Transient increase in calcium ion was recorded only in GPII. Conversely a significant decrease (p<0.05) in albumin was recorded in both GPII and GPIII. Conclusion: The biochemical alterations were more severe in mixed infection of T.congolense/A.caninum compared to single T.congolense. Treatment improved altered serum analytes. Hence against this backdrop effort must be put in place to prevent its occurrence in dogs.
Keywords: total protein, albumin, calcium ion, bilirubin, cholesterol, T.congolense, A. caninum.
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