Abstract:
A comparative study on the internal and external parasites a n d the assoc ated change s in th e packed cell v o lume of hor s es from a r u ral community (Bama) and an urban Centre (Maiduguri) in t h e semi-arid zone of Nort h -east e rn Nig e ria w a s ev aluated thro ugh routine c linical an d la boratory examinations. Blo o d and external parasites were not encountered in any of the 18 hors es. Four (2 2 2 %) o f the ho rses w e re no ticed t o be sheddin g the o va o intestina par a sites in thei r faece s during the s t udy perio d . Gastro discus aegyptia cus (16. 7 %) and st rong y e (5.6 %) e g g s w e re recovered from the horses. Infection was more common in r u ral (50 %) than urban (14. 3 %) horses. In both locations, infected hor s es had hi g h er Pack ed Cel Vol ume (PCV) (31.3 ± 5.3) t h an uni nf ect e d o n es (30.4 ± 3.6). Irresp ect ve of i n f e c ion status, h o rses at Maiduguri had higher PCV than their co unterparts at Bama. The results sugg e s t that ho rse s in the sem -arid zo ne o N o r theastern N ge ria had mo derately lo w prevalence o f infect ion w th gastro-in t estinal parasites and that tho s e at the urban lo catio n were re latively bette r cared for th an their rural counterparts.