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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

First cases of heartworm infection in dogs in Slovakia

By V. Svobodova et al.·Published in Veterinární Medicína·2005·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic, CZ·View original on DOAJ

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Original publication title: First cases of canine dirofilariosis inSlovakia: a case report

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A group of dogs in Slovakia was tested for a type of heartworm infection called dirofilariosis, which can be caused by two different species of the parasite. Out of 15 dogs in one area, 6 tested positive for Dirofilaria repens, and in another area, 6 out of 7 dogs were also positive for this species, with 2 dogs additionally testing positive for Dirofilaria immitis. Fortunately, all the dogs showed no symptoms of illness. This means that while the infections were present, the dogs did not appear to be affected by them.

People also search for: dog heartworm symptoms · Dirofilaria immitis treatment · how to prevent heartworm in dogs

Abstract

Dogs from two locations in West Slovakiasuspected to have dirofilariosis were tested with the help of microfilariae detection, histochemical identification of microfilaria species and Dirofilaria immitis specific antigen detection in the blood serum. Six out of the group of 15 dogs from Bratislava region were found positive with Dirofilaria repens microfilariae. In the second location situated farther to the south, near Komarno, 6 out of 7 dogs were found positive with D. repens microfilariae and 2 with D. immitis. Serological detection of D. immitis antigen was positive in 3 cases among the dogs from this region, 2 of which were found positive with D. immitis microfilariae simultaneously with D. repens. The infection was asymptomatic in all of the dogs included in the trial.

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Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.17221/5656-VETMED