Studies on the prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths of dogs in Calabar, Nigeria

The results of investigational study to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths of dogs in Calabar, Nigeria with particular emphasis on the effects of sex and age of the animals on the occurrence of these endoparasites are presented. Of a total of 254 dogs sampled using saturated brime solution floatation method and formalin-ether sedimentation method, 223 (86.97%) were infected. A breakdown of the number of parasitized dogs shows that 180 (70.86%) were positive for Ancylostoma caninum, 68 (26.77%) for Toxocara canis, 38 (14.96%) for Strongyloides stercoralis, 21 (8.26%) for Toxascaris leonina, five (1.96%) for Dipylidium caninum, two (.78%) for Echinococcus granulosus, two (.78%) for Taenia hydatigena, one (.39%) for Taenia ovis, one (.39%) for Trichuris vulpis and 48 (18.89%) for coccidia oocyst. Out of a total of 140 male and 114 female dogs sampled for gastro-intestinal helminth ova, 122 males (87.14%) and 101 females (88.59%) respectively were infested. Juvenile dogs from three weeks to one month of age were more commonly infested than adult dogs (24 months).