Parasitologic Examination of the Eyes, Esophagus, Lungs, Rumen, and Feces of Cattle and of the Small Intestine of Horses at Necropsy in Central Kentucky, U.S.A., in 2000 and 2001

Abstract

A parasitologic survey for internal parasites was done at routine necropsy of cattle (N = 142) and horses (N = 190, including 1 donkey) at the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, University of Kentucky, in 2000 and 2001. The eyes, esophagus, lungs, rumen, and feces were examined from the cattle, and the small intestine was scrutinized from the horses. Endoparasites recovered from the cattle (percent infected) were Thelazia skrjabini (13%) and Thelazia gulosa (8%) from the eyes. One or both Thelazia species were recovered from 16% of the cattle, and Gongylonema pulchrum (2%) was recovered from the esophagus. The types of eggs present in the feces of cattle (percent positive) were Haemonchus–Ostertagia–Trichostrongylus (53%), Nematodirus (13%), Strongyloides (3%), Trichuris (3%), Capillaria (1%), and Moniezia (4%). Lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus) larvae were not detected in cattle feces. No parasite was found in the lungs or rumen of necropsied cattle. Parasites found in the small intestine of the horses (percent infected) were Gasterophilus intestinalis, third instar (3%), Gasterophilus nasalis, third instar (3%), Parascaris equorum, immature (5%), Parascaris equorum, mature (7%), Anoplocephala perfoliata (15%), and Anoplocephala magna (0.05%).