2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Over a period of 3 months, veterinarians and students visited all parishes on the island of St. Kitts, thus covering a diverse geographic area with a wide diversity in ecosystem landscape. One hundred and eleven dogs were identified and visited, and were given a complete physical exam, then blood and feces were collected. Demographic data was also collected, including breed, age, housing, other animals in household, evidence of ticks or fleas, deworming and vaccine administration, and other important data. The primary focus of our sample analysis for this study was blood, which was processed immediately and separated into whole blood, serum, and plasma. Ticks and fleas were also collected when seen on dogs or in the immediate environment. Blood was analyzed with the SNAP Ã’ 4Dx test (IDEXX), followed by the Tick/Vector Comprehensive RealPCR Ã’ Panel detection of 19 different vector-borne pathogens from the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Hepatozoon, Leishmania, Bartonella, Neorickettsia, Rickettsia, and Mycoplasma.