Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Common intestinal parasites found in dogs in the US in 2018
By Sobotyk, Caroline et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2021·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Retrospective study of canine endoparasites diagnosed by fecal flotation methods analyzed across veterinary parasitology diagnostic laboratories, United States, 2018.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In 2018, a study looked at fecal tests from nearly 4,700 dogs across the United States to check for internal parasites. About 21% of the dogs tested positive for at least one type of parasite, with Giardia being the most common. Other parasites found included hookworms, coccidia, roundworms, and whipworms. The findings highlight the importance of regular fecal screenings and parasite prevention for dogs to keep them healthy and reduce the risk of spreading these parasites to humans.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Companion animal endoparasites play a substantial role in both veterinary medicine and public health. Updated epidemiological studies are necessary to identify trends in occurrence and distribution of these parasites, and their associated risk factors. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of canine endoparasites  retrospectively, using fecal flotation  test data available through participating academic veterinary parasitology diagnostic laboratories across the United States of America (USA). METHODS: Canine fecal flotation records from ten veterinary diagnostic laboratories located in nine states in the USA acquired from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, were included. RESULTS: A total of 4692 fecal flotation test results were obtained, with a majority comprised of client-owned dogs (3262; 69.52%), followed by research dogs (375; 8.00%), and shelter dogs (122; 2.60%). Samples from 976 (20.80%) dogs were positive for at least one parasite, and co-infections of two or more parasites were found in 3.82% (179/4692) of the samples. The five most commonly detected parasites were: Giardia sp., (8.33%; 391/4692), Ancylostomatidae (5.63%; 264/4692), Cystoisospora spp. (4.35%; 204/4692), Toxocara canis (2.49%;117/4692), and Trichuris vulpis (2.43%; 114/4692). Various other internal parasites, including gastrointestinal and respiratory nematodes, cestodes, trematodes, and protozoans were detected in less than 1% of samples. CONCLUSIONS: These data illustrate the importance of parasite prevention, routine fecal screening, and treatment of pet dogs. Additionally, pet owners should be educated about general parasite prevalence, prevention, and anthelmintic treatment regimens to reduce the risks of environmental contamination and zoonotic transmission.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34465379/