Dystocia is a common disorder that can cause harmful health risks to bitch and puppies. The aim of the current study was to evaluate some risk factors related to canine dystocia and the application of treatment methods to 612 diagnosed cases in Gaia Pets Clinic and Resort, Hanoi, Vietnam, from December 2013 to May 2020. The investigated factors comprised age, parity and breed size, and litter size, as well as fetal sex in relation to the proportion of dystocia in female canines. Dystocia was frequently observed in female dogs aged 1-3 years, with rates of 76.1%. The highest proportion of dystocia was found in the first litter group (80.21%). The incidence of dystocia increased as the weight of the dog decreased, and it was prevalent in the small breed (61.93%). Dystocia risk decreased as the litter size increased. The interventions used in this study were medical treatment with the hormone oxytocin (1.8%), surgical management with cesarean section (86.11%), and a combination of oxytocin and cesarean section (12.09%), with the success rates of each treatment method as 100%, 98.86%, and 100%, respectively. Some risk factors, such as age, parity, breed size, and litter size identified in the present research, could be used as prognostic indicators in the veterinary practice to optimize the survival rate of female dogs and puppies.

Neosporosis, caused by N. caninum, is an emerging protozoan disease responsible for significant economic losses in the global dairy and meat industries, primarily due to abortion in cattle. Dogs serve as both definitive and intermediate hosts and play a key role in the parasite transmission cycle. Currently, effective control strategies remain limited, partly due to insufficient information on infection status. In Vietnam, data on N. caninum infection are scarce and mainly limited to cattle and buffalo. In this study, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) based on recombinant NcGRA4 protein was applied and evaluated for the detection of anti-N. caninum antibodies in dogs. A total of 142 shelter dogs from Hanoi, northern Vietnam, were tested to determine seroprevalence. The NcGRA4-based iELISA detected an overall seroprevalence of 28.87% (41/142), whereas the indirect fluorescent antibody test (iFAT) showed a lower prevalence of 14.08% (20/142), indicating substantial exposure to N. caninum among shelter dogs in this region. Using iFAT as the reference method, the NcGRA4-based iELISA demonstrated a sensitivity of 90.00%, a specificity of 81.15%, and an overall accuracy of 82.39%. These findings indicate that the NcGRA4-based iELISA is a suitable screening tool for seroepidemiological surveillance of N. caninum infections in dogs. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses showed no significant associations between N. caninum seropositivity and the investigated variables, including age, sex, breed, and housing conditions. This study also provides the first serological evidence of canine exposure to N. caninum in Vietnam.

Canine vector-borne pathogens (CVBPs) pose a major challenge in shelter medicine, yet data from shelter populations in Vietnam remain unknown. This study determined the prevalence, and risk factors of CVBPs in shelter dogs in northern Vietnam. Blood samples from 300 apparently healthy dogs from three shelters in Hanoi were screened by PCR for Babesia vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Rickettsia spp., and Mycoplasma spp. Representative positive amplicons underwent Sanger sequencing and BLAST analysis. Sequence analysis showed 96.07–100% identity with reference strains, with phylogenetic trees confirming clustering within B. vogeli, H. canis, M. haemocanis and R. felis clades. Overall, 43.7% (131/300) of dogs were infected with at least one pathogen, with shelter-level prevalence ranging from 38.0 to 52.0%. Single infections accounted for 35.0%, dominated by R. felis (25.7%) and M. haemocanis (24.0%), B. vogeli and H. canis were low (1.3% each). Co-infections were found in 8.7% of dogs, primarily R. felis and M. haemocanis (8.3%). No evaluated host factors (age, sex, breed, body size, housing style) significantly associated with infection (p > 0.05). This study provides the first molecular evidence of canine vector-borne pathogen circulation in Vietnamese shelter dogs, emphasizing the need of ectoparasite control and One Health-oriented surveillance.

This study investigated the prevalence and molecular characteristics of canine vector-borne pathogens (CVBPs) circulating in diverse dog populations in Thailand by using molecular diagnostic methods. A total of 400 blood samples were collected from four groups (n = 100 each): stray dogs (Group A), vector-borne disease–suspected companion dogs (Group B), healthy companion dogs presenting for routine examination (Group C), and companion dogs presenting with non-vector-borne illnesses (Group D). The overall infection rate was 46.25%. Ehrlichia spp. were the most frequently detected pathogens (23.5%), followed by Babesia spp. (16.5%), Rickettsia spp. (15.0%), and Anaplasma spp. (11.5%). The prevalence differed markedly among groups, including group A (88.0%), group B (54.0%), group C (27.0%) and group D (16.0%) (p < 0.05). DNA sequence analysis showed 100% identity with GenBank™ reference sequences, confirming the presence of Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia asembonensis, Babesia vogeli, and Anaplasma platys. The detection of CVBPs across all groups demonstrates free-roaming and owned dogs serve as reservoirs for substantial ongoing infections and pose potential zoonotic implications to humans. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of sustained molecular surveillance, improved vector control strategies, and proactive monitoring of high-risk dog populations to reduce the burden of CVBPs in Thailand.