title: Prevalence of enteric pathogens in dogs of north-central Colorado.
abstract: To evaluate the prevalence of enteric pathogens in dogs of north-central Colorado, fecal samples were obtained from client-owned dogs presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University for evaluation of acute small-bowel, large-bowel, or mixed-bowel diarrhea (n=71) and from age-matched, client-owned, healthy dogs (n=59). Infectious agents potentially associated with gastrointestinal disease were detected in 34 of 130 (26.1%) fecal samples. Agents with zoonotic potential were detected in feces from 21 (16.2%) of 130 dogs and included Giardia spp. (5.4%), Cryptosporidium parvum (3.8%), Toxocara canis (3.1%), Salmonella spp. (2.3%), Ancylostoma caninum (0.8%), and Campylobacter jejuni (0.8%). Positive test results occurred in dogs with or without gastrointestinal signs of disease. Dogs, particularly those in homes of immunocompromised humans, should be evaluated for enteric zoonotic agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lappin
mesh_terms: D000722:Ancylostoma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005872:Giardia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D017992:Parvovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000302:isolation & purification