PARASITARY FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF GASTROENTERIC HELMINTS IN DOGS IN ARA

Abstract

This study had as its object the determination of the helminthic fauna in dogs living in the urban zone of the city of Ara

çatuba in the state of  São Paulo. Parasitological necropsies were done on 65 dogs, 36 males and 29 females, with ages from 3 months to 8 years, in order to identify and count the helminthes. Three (4,62%) had Physaloptera praeputialis, in a density of 1 or 2 specimens. Thirteen (20%) were the hosts to 1 to 29 specimens of  Trichuris vulpi. In the small intestine we counted from 1 to 967 specimens of  Dipylidium caninum in 39 of the dogs (60%), of 1 to 49 examples of  Toxocara canis in 16 of the dogs (24,62%), and form 1 to 984 Ancylostoma spp. in 49 dogs (75,38%). There was no correlation (p>0,05) between the helminthoses and the sex or age of the dogs we examined. D. caninum was responsible for the most intense infections, while the genus Ancylostoma was the most prevalent. Parasitic infections due to A. braziliense occured in 22 dogs, with varying intensity (1 to 112). Association of A. braziliense with  A. caninum was seen in 12 animals. The elevated frequency and intensity of helminthic infections, especially due to Ancylostoma and Toxocara emphasize the risk of these zoonosis.

KEY-WORDS

: Helminths. Dogs. Ancylostoma spp.. Dipylidium caninum. Toxocara canis. Araçatuba.