Trypanosomosis is an infectious disease with great economic impact on livestock production. In this study, the effects of probiotic on serum biochemical changes of Nigerian indigenous dogs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei were investigated. Twenty (20) healthy dogs of both sexes (6-10 kg body weight) following screening, were randomly divided into 5 groups of 4 dogs each. Dogs in group I (uninfected and untreated); group II (uninfected ? multi species (Pet dophillusÒ) probiotic); group III (infected ? multi species probiotic); group IV (infected ? diaminazene aceturate); and group V (infected ? probiotic ? diminazene aceturate). Dogs were fed probiotic for 21 days before infection, and up to the last day post-infection (PI). Dogs in infected groups were inoculated intraperitonially with 2.5 9 10 6 trypanosomes on day 21 and diminazene aceturate was administered on day 5 post-infection (PI). Prepatent period and parasitaemia were determined. Blood was collected in plain sample bottles and serum harvested for serum biochemical analyses. Prepatent periods of T. brucei brucei were 4.75 ± 0.25 days (group III), 4.00 ± 0.41 days (group IV) and 4.25 ± 0.49 days (groups V); and parasitaemia was significantly decreased (P \ 0.05) in groups IV and V compared to group III post-treatment. Mean serum total protein was significantly increased in group III from day 28 up to the end of the study. No significant (P [ 0.05) differences existed in the mean serum albumin and creatinine levels in all groups of dogs. The mean serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were increased significantly (P \ 0.05) in group III post infection up to the end of the study. In conclusion, the multispecies probiotic enhanced the efficacy of diaminazene aceturate in mitigating the serum biochemical changes due to experimental T. brucei brucei infection in dogs.

Objectives This study demonstrated the enhancing actions of probiotic on the antitrypanosomal effects of diminazene aceturate in dogs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Methods Twenty (20) apparently healthy adult local dogs of both sexes were randomly divided into five groups each containing four dogs. Group I were uninfected and untreated while groups III, IV and V were infected. Groups II, III, IV and V were administered multispecies probiotic (MSP) and/or diminazene aceturate (DA). Parasitaemia was determined, clinical signs recorded and blood collected for haematology. Results Results revealed T. b. brucei prepatent periods of 4.75 ± 0.25, (4–5) days and significant decrease of parasitaemia, clinical signs and mortality in groups IV and V compared to group III. Mortalities of 100% (group III), 25% (group IV) and 0% (group V) were recorded. Mean packed cells volume, haemoglobin concentration and red blood cells count showed no significant difference in groups I, II, and V, but were significantly decreased in groups III and IV post-treatment. Conclusions The administration of MSP to infected dogs enhanced the antitrypanosomal effects of diminazene aceturate.