Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Trypanosoma cruzi antibody screening in North Texas dogs
By Pace, Wendy & Oppong, Joseph·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2024·University of North Texas, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Trypanosoma Cruzi antibody screening in North Texas client owned dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two senior dogs, aged 10 and 8 years, were tested for exposure to a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which can cause heart problems. The tests were part of a screening for dogs in the North Texas area, and while six dogs initially tested positive, only two were confirmed to have the parasite. Neither dog showed any signs of heart issues, and the overall rate of exposure in this study was lower than what has been reported in shelter dogs. The findings suggest that the risk of this parasite in client-owned dogs in North Texas may be less than previously thought.
People also search for: dog Trypanosoma cruzi exposure · senior dog heart problems · parasite testing for dogs
Abstract
Despite multiple screening efforts to identify exposures to Trypanosoma cruzi, in dogs across southern USA, no published studies could be found involving client owned dogs in the North Texas Metroplex area. Therefore, a limited screen was conducted for client owned dogs, seeking routine or preventative care, from participating veterinary practices in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex from 2019 to 2021. Participants, with owner consent, ranged in age, breed, and length of time at recorded residence. Ninety-nine samples were acquired from participating veterinary practices, initially assessed with the Chagas StatPak, and positive samples were confirmed with IFA (indirect fluorescent antibody test) at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL), College Station, Texas. Six samples were positive with the StatPak and only two were confirmed positive with IFA. Both animals were senior (10 and 8 years) with no owner reports of previous cardiac issues. The results appear reasonable within the context of previous studies and the seropositivity rate of 2% (n = 99) for client owned dogs included in this study are lower than previously reported rates for shelter dogs from the North Texas area.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38462304/