Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Nile virus antibodies found in 28% of Saskatchewan pet dogs
By Gaunt, M Casey et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2015·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serological Survey of West Nile Virus in Pet Dogs from Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 143 dogs in Saskatchewan, Canada, were tested for West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies, and 40 of them (about 28%) showed signs of exposure to the virus. Dogs that spent more time outside or were primarily kept in the yard were significantly more likely to have these antibodies. This suggests that pet dogs can be indicators of WNV presence in the area. While the study didn't focus on sick dogs, it highlights the importance of monitoring outdoor exposure to protect pets from mosquito-borne illnesses.
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Abstract
Serum samples collected from 143 dogs from Saskatchewan, Canada, between 2008 and 2010 were evaluated for seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV). WNV antibodies were identified in 40/143 dogs (28%). Dogs that were primarily housed in the yard were 6.2 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6-14.5) more likely to have antibodies than dogs housed in the house or garage. Dogs were more likely to be positive with increasing time spent outside. The results of this study document WNV seroprevalence in dogs from Saskatchewan and suggest that pet dogs might be useful as a sentinel species for WNV surveillance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26645738/