Casuística e alterações hematológicas em cães com hemoparasitoses transmitidas naturalmente por carrapatos no município de Macapá, Amapá, Brasil

Abstract

Canine hemoparasitoses caused by the bacteria Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. and the protozoan Babesia spp. cause serious health problems in dogs, resulting in hematological alterations that affect the immune system. This research aims to determine the case history and hematological alterations in dogs diagnosed with hemoparasitoses naturally transmitted by ticks in the municipality of Macapá, Amapá state. Blood counts and other laboratory tests of 330 animals positive for the infections were analyzed between August 2024 and July 2025 in two veterinary clinics. The results showed that the diseases occur year-round, with the highest number of cases in October and the highest occurrence of ehrlichiosis, accounting for 81.52% (269/330) of infected and co-infected cases. The vast majority of the animals evaluated, 93.72% (194/207), presented alterations in their blood counts. The main hematological findings were a decrease in the red blood cell count, predominantly normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia, in addition to intense thrombocytopenia in co-infection (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.915) in relation to isolated infection by one of the etiological agents. Among the leukocyte series, 67.63% (140/207) of the total leukocytes were within the normal range. Findings such as leukocytosis, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, eosinopenia, and monocytosis were also observed, although with low frequency. Regarding the sex, age, and breed profile, 53.33% were females and 46.67% were males; adult animals were more affected, with an average age of 5 years; mixed-breed dogs represented the majority in the study, at 50.91%. The findings regarding both the epidemiological profile and hematological alterations constitute relevant factors for understanding the clinical and laboratory aspects of hemoparasitoses in small animal clinical practice in the Northern region of Brazil.