Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Intestinal worm infections in dogs in south central West Virginia
By Savilla, Tashina M et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2011·Department of Biological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of dog intestinal nematode parasites in south central West Virginia, USA.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 231 dogs in West Virginia were tested for intestinal parasites, and about 34% were found to have one or more types of worms. Young dogs, especially those under a year old, were more likely to be infected with certain parasites compared to older dogs. Interestingly, dogs showing symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting were not more likely to have these parasites than those that seemed healthy. However, dogs on heartworm prevention were less likely to have intestinal worms. Regular vet check-ups and heartworm treatment can help reduce the risk of these infections.
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Abstract
Coprological examination was used to determine prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes in a sample of 231 dogs (117 females and 114 males) during the summer of 2009 at a veterinary clinic in south central West Virginia, USA. Clinical signs (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, weight gain or loss) were noted in addition to a history of anthelmintic usage. A total of 79 dogs (33.6%) were infected with one or more intestinal nematodes. Most dogs (58) were parasitized with a single species, 19 were parasitized with 2 species, and 2 were parasitized by 3 species. There was no significant difference (i.e., X(2)<3.84; P>0.05) in prevalence of infection between female and male dogs for any of the identified nematode species. The chi-square test for equality of proportions was used to determine prevalence of infection in 3 age categories of dogs (females and males combined): young dogs (≤12 months of age); mature dogs (13-83 months); and old dogs >83 months. Prevalences of infection for Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara canis were significantly (P<0.005) higher in young dogs, whereas there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in prevalence by age category for Trichuris vulpis. Dogs exhibiting clinical signs were no more likely to harbor intestinal nematodes than dogs that were asymptomatic. Additionally, dogs receiving heartworm treatment were significantly less likely to be parasitized than dogs receiving no heartworm prophylaxis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21277089/