Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PARC Arid Zone Research Center, Dera Ismail Khan, 29050-Pakistan
2
Department of Biotechnology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir, Pakistan
3
Animal Science Institute, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad-54000-Pakistan.
4
Professor Rural Sociology, Department of Social Science Institute, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
5
PARC Adaptive Research cum Demonstration Institute Miranshah-28200-Pakistan
6
PARC Adaptive Research cum Demonstration Institute Wana-29540-Pakistan
7
Department of Clinical Medicine, FVAS, University of Agriculture, Dera Ismail Khan, 29050-Pakistan
Abstract
Angora rabbits are raised for commercial purposes, such as wool and fur production. These are also essential animals for performing various research or laboratory tests. Rabbits are susceptible to a wide range of ectoparasites and infections. Compared to non-infected rabbits, it leads to reduced body weight gain; even severe infection leads to death. Although rabbits are less prone to contract epidemic diseases, they are susceptible to parasite infections and diseases of care and malnutrition. The most common diseases infesting rabbits are coccidiosis, skin mange, stomach-worm infections and ear mange or ear canker. These caused due to lice, ticks, fleas and many other intestinal worms. Tick infection was observed in rabbits two years ago, but no one knows about their species. The current study aimed to identify the tick species found in angora rabbits. For this purpose, the present study was conducted. Six tick species belonging to five genera were identified, infested angora rabbits, including Amblyomma variegatum, Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor reticulatus, Hyalomma excavatum Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The highest tick infestation was recorded on females than on males and kittens, while ears were the highly infested site of angora rabbits. This was the first study on angora rabbits related to tick species worldwide, especially in Pakistan. Further studies related to tick species are needed in rabbit-rearing countries, especially Pakistan. The current study results will be proved fruitful and give basic information about the tick of rabbits to the coming researchers.
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