Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Extra-intestinal worm infections in dogs and cats in Italy
By Traversa, Donato et al.·Published in Acta tropica·2019·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Occurrence of canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in key endemic regions of Italy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that many dogs and cats in Italy are infected with certain parasites that can cause serious health issues. The most common parasite in dogs was Angiostrongylus vasorum, which can lead to breathing problems, while cats were mostly affected by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. Pets that spend time outdoors were more likely to be infected, and younger cats under a year old had a higher risk of lungworm infections. This highlights the need for pet owners to be aware of these parasites and to discuss preventive measures with their veterinarians.
People also search for: dog breathing problems Italy · cat lungworm symptoms · outdoor cat parasites · dog parasite prevention · young cat health risks
Abstract
Extra-intestinal nematodes of companion animals are of growing concern in veterinary medicine for their pathogenic potential and the current expansion throughout Europe. The present study has evaluated the occurrence of major canine and feline extra-intestinal nematodes in regions of Italy having epidemiological relevance. Associations of various recorded parameters related to the examined animals have been statistically evaluated, along with a comparative analysis with the most recent epidemiological data. Overall, 1055 dogs and 1000 cats were tested. Among extra-intestinal nematodes Angiostrongylus vasorum was the most common in dogs followed by Capillaria aerophila and Dirofilaria spp.; Aelurostrongylus abstrusus was the most recorded parasite in cats, followed by C. aerophila and Troglostrongylus brevior. The statistical analysis revealed that outdoor access is associated with A. vasorum, A. abstrusus and T. brevior infections, that were also more prevalent in animals with cardio-respiratory signs. Moreover, cats aged less than 12 months had more chances to be infected by lungworms. The data herein presented confirm the occurrence and the possible risk of expansion of different extra-intestinal parasitoses of dogs and cats in Italy, underlining the importance of a constant epidemiologic vigilance and of appropriate control methods.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30857861/