Effect of a combination of permethrin and diesel oil on Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides canis in experimentally infested dogs

Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Brown dog tick) and Ctenocephalides canis (dog and cat flea) cause heavy economic burden for dog owners in Nsukka, south-east, Nigeria, and are also major cause of vector-borne diseases worldwide. A total of 40 apparently healthy dogs were randomly assigned to 3 groups (A, B and C) and experimentally infested with Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides canis. Each dog in Group A (n = 10) was treated with a mixture of permethrin and diesel oil while Groups B (n = 6) and C (n = 4) were treated with permethrin and diesel oil respectively. The remaining dogs in each group served as controls. Parasites were counted 48th hour post-treatment and efficacy estimated as percentage reduction in live parasites in treated groups compared to untreated groups. In Group A the average percentage efficacy was 99.7% while in groups B and C it was 98.3% and 72.1% respectively for R. sanguineus, Geometric mean of live parasites between treated and control groups was significantly different (p<0.05) for every day in Groups A, B and C. Tick and flea numbers can be reduced in dogs by the application of diesel oil as an acaricide. Keywords: Dogs; tick and flea control; diesel fuel oil; permethrin

A case of gastric ulcers and intussusception due to Ascariasis in a 4-months old American Hampshire boar in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

A Four months old American Hampshire boar weighing about 35kg from a back-yard piggery in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Kaduna State was presented with the chief complains of restlessness, shivering and pasty perineum. There was no medical history. Physical examination revealed, pale ocular mucus membrane, restlessness, shivering and pasty perineum. The vital parameters were above normal ranges. Faecal sample from the rectum was taken to the helminthology laboratory of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for helminth egg detection and identification. Based on the tentative diagnosis of Ascariasis and enteritis, 35mg of a 17% piperazine adipate solution and 700mg of a 20% oxytetracyline long acting were administered orally and deep intramuscularly, respectively as single doses. The boar died 2 hours after therapy. Post-mortem examination revealed; distended ingesta-filled stomach, ulceration of the stomach mucosal wall with tarry (blackish) haemorrhages, Ascaris suum in the stomach and small intestine, intussusception of the small intestine and empty distal portion of the intussuscepted small intestine. The helminthology laboratory result indicated eggs of Ascaris suum. Based on the helminthology laboratory result and the post mortem examination findings, it was concluded that the boar died of gastric ulcer and small intestine intussusception due to Ascariasis. Routine deworming and deworming record keeping in order to know when the next deworming is due were advocated to the farmer

Effects of seasons on haematologic and serum biochemical profiles of indigenous chickens in Shendam, Plateau State, Nigeria

The study was conducted at the Shendam Outstation of the National Veterinary Research Institute to investigate the influence of seasons on haematologic and serum biochemical profiles of indigenous chickens in Shendam, Plateau State, Nigeria. Four males and forty females formed the base populations. For haematologic parameters, season had significant effect only on haemoglobin, PCV (P<0.001), MCV, MCHC (P<0.05) and monocytes (P<0.001). Haemoglobin was highest (14.58±2.52g/dl) during the late rainy season and lowest (12.41±2.99; 12.33±3.14g/dl) during the late and early rainy seasons respectively. The PCV had highest value (35.98± 1.19%) during late rainy season and lowest (31.18± 1.20%) during the early rains. On the other hand, monocytes were highest (3.21±0.13%) during the early rains and lowest (1.01±0.20%) during the early dry season. For biochemical parameters on the other hand, season had significant effect only on glucose, albumin (P<0.001), total protein (P<0.01), cholesterol (P<0.001) and calcium (P<0.05). For these serum biochemical parameters, highest versus lowest values on season bases were: glucose (early higher than late rainy season), albumin (late than early rainy season), total proteins (early than late rainy season), cholesterol (late rains than late dry season), cholesterol (late rains than late dry season) and calcium (late rains than late dry season) respectively. On the higher haematologic values during the late rains might have been because of favourable environment. There were also variations in biochemical parameters with season but there was no trend to indicate that they were in response to environmental changes. Deliberate efforts should be made to ameliorate the effects posed by these changes.Keywords: Effect, Seasons, erythrogram, biochemical, profile, indigenous chicken