Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Intestinal parasites in dogs in southern Ontario from fecal tests
By Kotwa, Jonathon D et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2021·Department of Pathobiology, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs in southern Ontario, Canada, based on fecal samples tested using sucrose double centrifugation and Fecal Dx® tests.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in southern Ontario found that about 5.79% of dogs tested positive for hookworms, while 5.15% had whipworms, and 1.07% had roundworms. These results were based on fecal samples from 466 dogs, mostly over six months old, collected from off-leash parks. The researchers used two testing methods and found that they generally agreed well on the presence of these parasites. This information can help pet owners and veterinarians make better decisions about parasite control for dogs in the area.
People also search for: dog intestinal parasites Ontario · hookworm treatment for dogs · roundworm symptoms in dogs
Abstract
In southern Ontario, Canada, there is a lack of information concerning the prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs. As such, this study aimed to characterize the prevalence of intestinal parasites in dogs visiting off-leash parks in the region using sucrose double centrifugation and Fecal Dx® tests. Additionally, data obtained via the sucrose double centrifugation method were used to evaluate the performance of the Fecal Dx® tests. Fecal samples were collected from 466 dogs aged ≥6 months from May to November 2018 (mean age = 3.7 years). Overall, eleven intestinal parasites were identified using sucrose double centrifugation. Roundworm eggs (Toxocara canis and Baylisascaris procyonis), hookworm eggs (Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala), and whipworm eggs (Trichuris vulpis) were identified in 1.07% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38-2.56%), 5.79% (95% CI 3.85-8.31%), and 5.15% (95% CI 3.33-7.57) of samples, respectively. Using the Fecal Dx® tests, 1.07% (95% CI 0.38-2.56%), 4.29% (95% CI 2.64-6.55%), and 2.15% (95% CI 1.03-3.91) of the samples tested positive for roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm antigen, respectively. To assess the level of agreement between the Fecal Dx® tests and sucrose double centrifugation, three methods were used. Cohen's kappa indicated a fair-to-moderate level of agreement between Fecal Dx® tests and sucrose double centrifugation. In contrast, the prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa and Gwet's first-order agreement coefficient indicated almost perfect agreement between these tests, ranging from 0.87 to 0.99 among the parasites examined. This study provides valuable information on the prevalence of intestinal parasites in mature dogs in southern Ontario that will help guide parasite control recommendations for dogs in this region.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34879930/