Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gastrointestinal parasites in dogs in central Ethiopia and risk
By Bayou, Kibruyesfa et al.·Published in PloS one·2025·School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites of dogs in four districts of central Ethiopia: Prevalence and risk factors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Ethiopia found that over half of the dogs tested had gastrointestinal parasites, with a prevalence of 53.1%. The most common parasites included Ancylostoma (hookworms), Toxocara (roundworms), and Giardia (a protozoan). Female dogs, adult dogs, those fed raw food, and dogs that spent time outdoors were more likely to be infected. Dogs with diarrhea had a particularly high rate of infection at 89.1%. This highlights the importance of regular veterinary check-ups and parasite prevention to protect both pets and public health.
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Abstract
From February 2022 to April 2023, a cross-sectional study on dog gastrointestinal parasites was conducted in Bishoftu, Dukem, Addis Ababa, and Sheno, Central Ethiopia, with the aim of estimating the prevalence and evaluating risk factors. A total of 701 faecal samples were collected and processed using floatation and McMaster techniques. In dogs that were investigated, the overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 53.1% (372/701). Nematode (28.2%), cestode (8.4%), and protozoan (5.6%) parasite infections were detected in dogs in both single (42.2%) and combined (10.8%) infections. With respective prevalences of 16%, 9.8%, 5%, 3.9%, and 3.1% Ancylostoma spp., Toxocara canis, Dipylidium caninum, Giardia spp., and Taenia/Echinococcus spp. were the most common parasites. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was significantly higher (P<0.05) in female dogs (73.8%, OR = 0.4), adult dogs (55.3%, OR = 0.4), dogs that were given raw food (57.9%, OR = 2.7), and dogs kept free outdoor (60.9%, OR = 2.4). The incidence of gastrointestinal parasites was also higher in dogs with diarrheal faecal consistency (89.1%, OR = 9.1) and dogs from highland areas (62.1%, OR = 1.8). In contrast, statistically significant variation in the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was not recorded among dogs of different breeds. The current study found that dogs in the studied locations had a high overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites. In conclusion, gastrointestinal parasites in dogs have the potential to pose a serious threat to public health, so addressing this issue requires a unified approach. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct detailed epidemiological and genetic research on dog parasites in vast study regions across various agro-ecologies zones and seasons in Ethiopia. Additionally, it is crucial to raise public awareness of the prevalence, effects on public health, and financial implications of dog gastrointestinal parasites in Ethiopia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39808647/