Prevalence and Morphological Identification of Ticks Infesting Dogs in Central India

Abstract

Tick infestation is a common ectoparasitic problem in dogs and is associated with dermatological lesions and transmission of tick-borne diseases. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of tick infestation in dogs and to identify tick species based on morphological characteristics. The study was carried out at the Veterinary Clinical Complex, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), during July to December 2025. A total of 2,548 dogs of different age groups, sex and breeds were screened irrespective of clinical complaint. Out of these, 208 dogs were confirmed positive for tick infestation, recording an overall prevalence of 8.16%. Month-wise prevalence was highest during the monsoon months, with maximum infestation recorded in July (10.52%), followed by August (9.95%) and September (8.87%), and lowest in December (2.22%), indicating a significant seasonal influence. Age-wise distribution revealed higher infestation in dogs aged 1–3 years (33.65%), followed by 3–6 years (26.44%). Male dogs (55.76%) showed higher infestation compared to females (44.23%). Breed-wise prevalence was highest in non-descript dogs (37.01%), followed by Labrador Retrievers (29.81%). Outdoor housing was identified as a major predisposing factor. Morphological examination of all collected tick specimens confirmed Rhipicephalus sanguineus as the sole tick species infesting dogs in the study area. The findings highlight the dominance of R. sanguineus and emphasize the usefulness of morphological identification in epidemiological studies of canine tick infestation.