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Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma congolense were initially thought to be the only species of trypanosomes capable of causing diseases in dogs and cats. However, dogs and cats are challenged by diverse species of trypanosomes with varying virulence and pathogenicity. Dogs may develop clinical trypanosomosis by infection with Trypanosoma evansi but are refractory to Trypanosoma rangeli of man. Recently, a new species, Trypanosoma caninum, of unknown pathogenicity and mode of transmission has been reported in dogs. This review describes canine trypanosomosis as an entity of two types, African and American trypanosomosis. It describes the different species involved in each type of the disease condition, the emerging strains, the biological cycle, distribution, clinical symptoms, the pathology and treatment of various species of canine trypanosomes. It also describes different basic diagnostic techniques currently in use and progress towards development of vaccine.

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Trypanosomosis is a disease that causes great haematological alterations in the infected. Despite the importance of the disease in animals, there is yet scarce trypanocides available for treatment of infected mammals. The present limitation in chemotherapy in trypanosomosis lead to assessment of the usefulness of imidocarb di propionate as an alternative trypanocide. Twenty one pathogen free albino rats were used in the study. They were randomly grouped into 3 of 7 members each. The GPA was uninfected control, GPB was infected with T. brucei brucei and treated with diminazene aceturate and GPC was infected with T. brucei brucei and treated with imidazole dipropionate. By 5 to 6 days post infection, there was a significant decrease in the PCV and Hb concentration values of the infected groups (GPB and GPC) and up to day 7 in GPC. There were haematological improvement in the infected groups by day 8 post infection (day 3 post treatment) on treatment with imidocarb dipropionate and diminazene in GPB and GPC, respectively. The rapid haematological improvements in the groups were attributed to prompt treatment and acuteness of the disease in the rats. It was concluded that T. brucei brucei alters both the PCV and Hb values of infected rats and treatment with imidocarb dipropionate significantly (p<0.05) improved altered haematological values and therefore could serve as an alternative trypanocide.

The immunological alteration in vaccinated dogs with single hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum (A. c) and conjunct infection with Trypanosoma congolense (T. c) and Trypanosoma brucei (T. b) was determined. Sixteen dogs grouped into 4 of 4 members each were used. Group 1 was the uninfected control, GPII was infected with A. c, GPIII was infected with A. c /T. c, and GPIV was infected with T. b/A. c. The dogs were first inoculated with canine distemper (CD) vaccine before infection with A. c 4 weeks post vaccination. Two weeks later, both GPIII and GPIV were superposed with trypanosome infection. Prepatent period of A. c was 14 to 16 days in single A. c group and 13 to 14 days in conjunct trypanosome/A. c.