Abstract
The study was carried out to determine the clinical course and epidemiological pattern of intestinal nematodes in dogs in Upper Egypt, and their impact on various hematological and biochemical parameters. A total number of 120 dogs (Age =1 month to 3 year), both sex and of different breed’s size (small and large) were included in the present study. Parasitological, clinical, hemato-biochemical and epidemiological examinations were conducted. Microscopic analysis of fecal samples (n=120) revealed three types of intestinal nematodes: Toxocara canis (n= 28), Toxascaris leonina (n =5), Ancylostoma caninum (n = 4) and mixed infection of Toxocara canis and Dipylidium caninum (n =2) with an overall infection rate 32.5% (39/120). Toxocara canis was predominate type of nematodal parasite infection in the studied population (23.3%). Puppies (0- 0.05) on infection rate of intestinal nematodes but season had high impact on nematodal infection The infection rate showed significant (P 0.05) in erythrocytic parameters (RBCs, Hb, PCV) and platelets count in infected group, whereas group differences for TWBCs, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils and basophils were non-significant high. Biochemical data generated revealed significant decrease (P>0.01) in the value of serum total protein in infected group. Liver enzymes showed significant increase (P>0.01) in serum AST, ALT and ALP in infected group compared with healthy one. In conclusion, intestinal nematode in dogs was common in Upper Egypt with infection rate of 32.5% and Toxocara canis was the most common nematode infection (23.3%). They have significant effects on hematological and biochemical parameters suggesting their importance as a health problem in dogs.
Highlights
In many parts of the world, the intestinal parasites of dogs receive considerable attention because dogs serve as host, reservoirs, carriers and transmitters of several pathogens (Traub et al, 2005)
In Egypt, the risk of zoonotic infection related to domestic dogs is high as nowadays dogs are living with humans (Awadallah and Salem, 2015), with lack of public education about the risk of zoonotic diseases transmitted from dogs such as visceral and ocular larval migrans caused by Toxocara canis and cutaneous larval migrans caused by Ancylostoma spp (Awoke et al, 2011)
Higher infection rate of enteric parasitic infection among the examined dogs was reported in South Africa 76% (Minnaar et al, 2002), 50% in Hungary (Fok et al, 2001), 85% in Mexico (EguiaAguilar et al, 2005), 71% in Spain (MartinezMoreno et al, 2007), 68.4% in Nigeria (Ugbomoiko et al, 2008) and 39.2% in Japan (Kimura et al, 2013)
Summary
In many parts of the world, the intestinal parasites of dogs receive considerable attention because dogs serve as host, reservoirs, carriers and transmitters of several pathogens (Traub et al, 2005). Among of these parasites are Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Ancylostoma caninum and Trichuris vulpis (Ahmed et al, 2014). In a recent study in Egypt reported 40% prevalence rate of enteric parasites infection in domestic dogs (Awadallah and Salem 2015). The high prevalence of enteric parasites infection in domestic dogs is due to absence of awareness about regular deworming of dogs (Ahmed et al, 2014)
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