Abstract

Dogs are the most common pet animals worldwide. A study of the gastrointestinal helminth parasites of dogs (Canis familiaris) in three veterinary clinics in Benin City, Nigeria, was conducted between June and December 2010. Faecal samples collected from 150 dogs were processed by floatation and direct faecal smear methods, and then examined for helminth eggs. Coprological examination revealed that 28.0% of the dogs examined were infected with different types of helminthes. Dogs harboring one-type of parasite eggs were more common (97%) than those harboring two (3%). The prevalence for the various helminth eggs observed wereDipylidium caninum (10.0%), Mesostephanus spp. (4.6%), Trichuris vulpis (4.0%),Toxocara canis (3.3%), Capillaria aerophila (2.0%), Ancylostoma spp. (1.3%),Toxascaris leonina, (0.7%), Capillaria plica (0.7%), Capillaria spp. (0.7%) andUncinaria stenocephala (0.7%). There was no significant difference in prevalence of helminth parasites found between males (22.6%) and females (31.8%) dogs (p>0.05). However, the age of dog was found to be a significant factor with the prevalence of the infection (p<0.05) higher in young dogs.

Key words: Dogs, helminth parasites, Benin-City, Nigeria.