Prevalence ofgastrointestinal helminths andmanagement practices fordogsinthe Greater Accraregionof Ghana

Abstract

Toxocariosisandancylostomosisremainthemostimportantparasiticinfections affectingcompanionanimalsworldwideandposearisktoanimalandhuman health.InformationontheseinfectionsindogsinGhanaisinadequate.Across sectionalstudywasundertakentodeterminetheoccurrenceofgastrointestinal helminthsinfectionsandmanagementpracticesofdogsintheGreaterAccra Region(GAR)ofGhana.Faecalsampleswereobtainedfrom380dogsfrom communitiesin11outof16districtsintheGAR.Coprologicalexaminationof the sampleswasperformedusingthemodifiedMcMastertechnique.Management practicesforcontrolofhelminthsindogswereassessedthroughquestionnaire interviewsofthedogowners.Mostdogs(70.7%)werekeptforsecurityreasons and werenothoused(61.8%).Prevalenceofgastrointestinalhelminthswas62.6%. Hookwormeggswerefoundin178(46.8%)dogs, Toxocaracanis eggsin22(5.8%)andmixedinfectionsofhookwormsand T. canis in 38(10.0%). Dipylidiumcaninum wasfoundin51(13.4%)dogs,whileIsosporaspecieswas in 33(8.5%)dogs.Mosthouseholds(68%;133/194)ofthesampleddogshad atleastachildbelowtheageof5years.Hookworm, T.canis and D. caninum werethezoonoticgastrointestinalhelminthsprevalentindogsinthestudy area.Lackofhousingfordogscreatesidealconditionsforinfectionandspread of thezoonoticparasites.

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Dogs, Gastrointestinalhelminths, GreaterAccraregion, Management practices, Ghana

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