Ixodid ticks on domestic dogs in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and in Namibia : short communication

S Matthee,R Beeker,I.G Horak,H.R Venter,A Gaugler,C Lovely

doi:10.4102/jsava.v81i2.125

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the species composition of ixodid ticks infesting domestic dogs in the northwestern region of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and in Namibia. Ticks were collected from February 2008 to January 2009 from dogs presented for a variety of reasons at a veterinary clinic in the Northern Cape Province and at 3 clinics in Namibia. The ticks collected at each place were pooled separately for each month at each locality. Eleven ixodid tick species were collected from dogs in the Northern Cape Province and new locality records for Haemaphysalis colesbergensis and Ixodes rubicundus, new locality and host records for Hyalomma glabrum, and a new host record for Rhipicephalus neumanni are reported. Six tick species were collected from dogs at the 3 clinics in Namibia. The most numerous species on dogs in both countries was R. sanguineus. The present results increase the total number of ixodid tick species collected from dogs in South Africa from 25 to 28.

Highlights

Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, and in Namibia
Of which 3 have not previously been recorded on dogs, were collected in the Northern Cape Province (Table 1), increasing the number of species collected from dogs in South Africa to 28
Haemaphysalis colesbergensis has recently been described from domestic cats and a dog, caracals (Caracal caracal) and a wild cat (Felis silvestris) in arid Karoo-like regions of the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa[2]

Summary

Introduction

Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, and in Namibia. Ticks were collected from February 2008 to January 2009 from dogs presented for a variety of reasons at a veterinary clinic in the Northern Cape Province and at 3 clinics in Namibia. Matthee S, Lovely C, Gaugler A, Beeker R, Venter H R, Horak I G Ixodid ticks on domestic dogs in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and in Namibia. Of which 3 have not previously been recorded on dogs, were collected in the Northern Cape Province (Table 1), increasing the number of species collected from dogs in South Africa to 28.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion