Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heartworm rates in dogs differ between California foothills
By Miller, Laura L & Crosbie, Paul R·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2011·Department of Biology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in Fresno and Madera Counties, California: prevalence differences between foothill and valley habitats.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In a study of dogs in Fresno and Madera Counties, California, researchers found that about 3.5% of dogs tested positive for heartworm, a serious parasite that can cause severe health issues. The study showed that dogs spending more than half their time outdoors during the day were more likely to be infected. This suggests that outdoor exposure plays a significant role in heartworm risk. While the overall prevalence was lower than expected, pet owners should still be aware of the risks and consider heartworm prevention, especially for dogs that spend a lot of time outside.
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of heartworm in domestic dogs in Madera and Fresno Counties, California, dependent on habitat and other host and environmental factors. Dogs were screened for presence of heartworm antigen using the PetChek(®) ELISA on blood samples (N=519) collected at seven sites during April-July 2009. Eighteen dogs were heartworm antigen positive. Pearson Chi-square analyses were conducted testing the presence of heartworm antigen against the following independent variables: elevation range, percentage of time spent outdoors during the day, percentage of time spent outdoors during the night, pet coat length, weight class, prevention status, and sex. Dogs that spent at least 50% of their time outdoors during the day were significantly more likely to have heartworm that those who spent less time outside (N=519, df=1, p=0.031). Overall prevalence (3.47%) was lower than expected, with Madera County having 3.8% positive samples and Fresno County 3.5%; this prevalence is lower than in many previous studies. The effect of time spent outdoors on heartworm prevalence was similar to previous studies. The impact of elevation on infection, though not significant, requires further investigation, as does the prevalence and viability of larval stages in mosquitoes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21051149/