Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> Canine babesiosis is an important tick-borne zoonotic disease that constrains dog health and breeding in Nigeria. Reliable low-cost laboratory diagnosis is essential for effective case management and disease control. This study determined the prevalence of canine babesiosis and evaluated the diagnostic performance of Giemsa- and Field-stained thin blood films for microscopic detection of <italic>Babesia</italic> spp. Blood samples were collected from 141 dogs of different breeds in Makurdi, Nigeria, during the dry and rainy seasons. Thin blood films were prepared and stained with Giemsa stain or Field's stain (A and B) and examined microscopically for <italic>Babesia</italic> spp., while packed cell volume (PCV) was determined by the microhematocrit technique. The overall detection rate of canine babesiosis was 13.48%, with both Giemsa- and Field-stained thin blood films detecting all positive cases, and yielded an identical mean parasitaemia score. Mean PCV was significantly lower in infected dogs than in non-infected dogs (p < 0.05), indicating the association between infection and anaemia. There were no significant associations observed between babesia infection and sex (P = 0.566), breed (P = 0.725), age (P = 0.511), season (P = 0.135, and sampling location (P = 0.807). The comparable performance of Giemsa- and Field-stained thin blood films indicates that either staining method can be used for routine microscopic diagnosis of canine babesiosis. Despite equivalent diagnostic sensitivity, Field-stained thin blood films were faster to prepare than Giemsa-stained thin blood films, offering a practical advantage for routine diagnostic laboratories. Given the simplicity, low cost, and accessibility of these techniques, they remain suitable diagnostic tools for veterinary laboratories, particularly in resource-limited settings where advanced molecular methods are not readily available. </p>