Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Intestinal and lung parasites found in dogs and cats in Sardinia
By Tamponi, C et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2017·Laboratorio di Parassitologia, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Endoparasites detected in faecal samples from dogs and cats referred for routine clinical visit in Sardinia, Italy.
Plain-English summary
A study found that nearly 35% of dogs and over 43% of cats in Sardinia had intestinal or lung parasites. The most common parasites included ascarids, Giardia, and hookworms, with younger pets under 6 months being more likely to be infected. This highlights the importance of regular check-ups and fecal testing for pets, as many infections can go unnoticed. If your pet is showing symptoms like diarrhea or weight loss, it’s a good idea to talk to your veterinarian about testing for parasites and possible treatments.
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Abstract
This study aimed to update data on the prevalence of intestinal and lung parasitic infections in owned dogs and cats in Sardinia, Italy. Examinations on faecal samples from 619 dogs and 343 cats routinely referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Sassari were performed between the years of 2011 and 2015. Individual faecal samples were analysed using the Wisconsin technique for copro-microscopic examination and the Baermann technique for the presence of lungworm larvae. Endoparasites were found in 34.9% and 43.4% of examined dogs and cats, respectively. Helminthic infections (21.2% in dogs and 32.6% in cats) occurred more frequently than protozoan infections (17.9% in dogs and 17.8% in cats). In both dogs and cats, the most common parasites were ascarids (12.1% and 15.7%), Cystoisospora spp. (10.2% and 10.8%), Giardia duodenalis (9.4% and 8.5%), and hookworms (7.9% and 5.5%). Evidence of bronchopulmonary nematode infections were found in 0.8% of examined dogs and in 15.8% of examined cats. Age was identified as a risk factor, with animals younger than 6months more frequently infected than older animals, while no significant association was observed for gender. This study demonstrated that endoparasites in owned dogs and cats of Sardinia have considerably high prevalence. Veterinary practitioners and pet owners should be more aware of these infections and should adopt more effective and standardized control practices.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31014584/