RT-PCR / Molecular Tests Dog

Hepatozoon canis RT-PCR

The Hepatozoon canis RT-PCR looks for the DNA of Hepatozoon canis, a tick-borne parasite of dogs, in a blood sample. It can find infections too light to see under the microscope.

Sample: Whole blood (EDTA)
Quantity: As advised
Report: Confirmed when you book
Collection: Free in Bhopal

What this test checks

DNA of Hepatozoon canis in whole blood
Infection that may be too light to see on a blood smear

When your vet may advise it

A dog with ticks and fever, weight loss or weakness
Anaemia or other blood count changes with no clear cause in a dog exposed to ticks
A dog with tick fever that is not improving as expected
Checking for mixed tick infections along with Ehrlichia and Babesia tests

About this test

Hepatozoon canis is a tiny parasite that lives inside a dog's white blood cells. Unlike most tick infections, it is not passed on by a tick bite. A dog catches it by swallowing an infected tick while grooming or chewing at its skin. Many infected dogs show no signs. Others develop fever, weight loss, weakness, pale gums or discharge from the eyes, often alongside other tick infections such as Ehrlichia or Babesia. A blood smear can sometimes show the parasite, but PCR on EDTA blood finds smaller amounts of its DNA. A registered veterinarian interprets the result with the dog's signs, blood count and other tick fever tests.

How to prepare

No fasting is needed. The sample is whole blood in an EDTA tube. Tell your vet about ticks on the dog and any recent tick fever treatment. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.

Questions about Hepatozoon canis RT-PCR

How do dogs get Hepatozoon canis?

Dogs get Hepatozoon canis by swallowing an infected tick, not from the tick's bite. This can happen when a dog grooms itself or chews at ticks on its skin. Ask your vet about tick prevention for your dog.

Can a dog have Hepatozoon without any signs?

Yes. Many infected dogs show no signs, especially when the infection is light. Illness is more likely when the dog has another tick infection or weak immunity. A positive PCR shows infection, and your vet decides whether it explains the dog's illness.

Before you book this test

Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.

Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.

Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.

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