Canine babesiosis in Nueva Ecija, Philippines: A retrospective study from small animal veterinary clinics

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence of canine babesiosis from 2020 to 2022 based on records from eight small animal veterinary clinics across four cities in Nueva Ecija: Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muñoz, and San Jose. Data on age, sex, breed, clinical signs, date of diagnosis, and owner address were collected and organized using Microsoft Excel. The results indicated that dogs aged 13 months and older had the highest incidence of babesiosis (52.86%). Male dogs (50.26%) were slightly more affected than females (47.66%). Toy breeds, particularly Shih Tzus, exhibited the highest infection rate (56.50%). Inappetence was the most commonly observed clinical sign (61.01%). The majority of cases (49.39%) occurred during the rainy season (June to November), with Cabanatuan reporting the highest number of cases (184 cases). Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between babesiosis and the dogs’ age, sex, and breed.