Babesiosis in dogs is a life-threatening condition primarily characterized by hemolytic anemia. Although certain canine blood groups have been suggested to influence resistance or vulnerability to infections, the role of blood type in determining susceptibility to babesiosis remains poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the distribution of Dog Erythrocyte Antigen (DEA) 1 blood groups among dogs in Abeokuta, Nigeria, and to examine their possible association with Babesia infection. Blood samples (1 mL each) were obtained from 200 client-owned dogs. DEA 1.1, DEA 1.2, and DEA 1.0 genotypes were identified using the Alvedia® assay, while Babesia DNA was detected via PCR after extraction. Statistical analysis with Chi-square tested associations between DEA 1 types and infection status. DEA 1 positive dogs comprised 63.5% of the population, significantly outnumbering DEA 1 negative dogs (36.5%). Breeds including Boerboel, Rottweiler, Caucasian, and local dogs exhibited a high prevalence of DEA 1 positivity (73.3–86.4%), whereas German Shepherds showed nearly equal proportions of DEA 1 positive and negative dogs (51.2% vs. 48.8%). No sex-related differences were observed in DEA 1 distribution. The occurrence of Babesia infection was similar between DEA 1 positive (63.0%) and DEA 1 negative (60.3%) dogs, indicating no significant correlation (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that DEA 1 blood type does not appear to influence canine susceptibility or tolerance to Babesia infection.
