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Abstract

Hemoplasmosis is a blood-borne pathogen that has a worldwide distribution. It is caused by an obligate erthrocytic pathogen that affects a wide range of mammalian species including dogs. Recently increased prevalence has been noted in canine patients presented at the Small Animal Clinic, University of Nairobi. However, scanty or no information exists on the prevalence, clinical presentation and management of canine hemoplasmosis in Kenya. This retrospective study was conducted to determine its clinical presentation and management. The most prevailing clinical signs in included, anorexia 42.3% which was the highest followed by lymphadenopathy at 36.6%, with pounding heart and dehydration being the least occurring at 7.0%. Tick infestation was seen in 66.7% of the cases while flea infestation was seen in 33.3% of the cases. Concurrent infections were found in 60% cases recorded whereas hemoplasmosis occurred singly in 40% of the dogs. In 100% of the cases, a blood smear was used as a confirmatory test. For management of the condition Imidocarb dipropionate was used (53.8%) while a combination of Imidocarb dipropionate and long acting oxytetracycline was used in 25% of the cases. This study has described the clinical presentation of Hemoplasmosis and shown that there is increased occurrence of this disease in dogs presented at the Small Animal Clinic, University of Nairobi, Kenya.