Prevalence of intestinal parasites in shelter and hunting dogs in Catalonia, Northeastern Spain.
To compare the prevalence of intestinal parasites in shelter and hunting dogs in Catalonia, Northeastern Spain, fresh faecal samples from 81 shelter dogs and 88 hunting dogs were collected and analysed by faecal flotation. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 71.6% in each population. In the shelter dog group, 67.9% of dogs were positive for intestinal protozoa and 9.8% were positive for helminths. In the hunting dog group, 20.4% of dogs were positive for intestinal protozoa and 63.6% were positive for helminths. A subset of Giardia-positive samples was evaluated by PCR; Giardia assemblages C or D were detected. These results suggest that comprehensive parasite control measures should be implemented in both shelter and hunting dogs in Catalonia.
Department Sanitat i Anatomia Animals. Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: ana.ortuno@uab.es.
Anna
A
Ortuño
Colorado State University, Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA.
Valeria
V
Scorza
Department Sanitat i Anatomia Animals. Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
Joaquim
J
Castellà
Colorado State University, Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA.
Mike
M
Lappin
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005872:Giardia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D006376:Helminths / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D021745:Sarcocystidae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Giardia; Hunting dogs; Intestinal helminths; Prevalence; Shelter dogs