Prevalence of Brown Dog Tick (<i>Rhipicephalus Sanguineus</i>) Infestation of Dogs in Lokoja Metropolis, Kogi State, North-central, Nigeria

Abstract

Study on the prevalence of brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) infestation  of  dogs  in Lokoja   metropolis ,Kogi  State, North-Central  Nigeria , was undertaken  between March and August,2011.The dogs were screened for the ticks and collection was done by using blunt forceps, fine-toothed comb and hand-picking.  Stereomicroscopic was  used  for  the identification of  the ticks collected.  Out of  a total of 200 Local and Exotic breeds of dogs that were examined ,160(80.00%) dogs were found to be infested. With  regard to breed, local dogs  were more infested (55.00%) than the exotic  breed (25.00%).The predilection sites  that were  more preferred are ears,496(50.6%), back 302(30.8%), interdigital spaces 96 (9.8%), neck 49 (5.00%), and abdomen 37 (3.8%) in  a  total of 980 ticks collected. The infestation   rate   was higher in adolescent dogs (86.3%) than the adult hosts (79.69%) and young dogs (73.02%) were the least infested animals. The relatively high  prevalence of  Rhipicephalus sanguineus in the present  study  suggested  that dogs  in  Lokoja  metropolis  were  of  veterinary  and public  health  significance  , because they were potential source of   vectors  of zoonotic  diseases. The  ticks  could  be eliminated  by  altering their ecological or microhabitats with the adoption of burning of pasture, regular deticking, fumigation of kernel,
and administration  appropriate  prophylactic and therapeutic  measures.

Keywords: Prevalence, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Dogs,  Lokoja, Nigeria.