Abstract
The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and risk factors for shedding of Toxocara eggs were determined for 916 Dutch household dogs older than 6 months. Additionally, the owners answered a questionnaire about their dogs and their attitude towards routine deworming was assessed. Faecal samples were examined using the centrifugal sedimentation flotation method. The overall prevalence of dogs shedding Toxocara eggs was 4.6 %. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk for 1–7-year-old dogs to shed Toxocara eggs was significantly lower (OR 0.38) than that of 6–12-month-old dogs. Compared to dogs walking ≤20 % of the time off-leash, those ranging freely 50–80 % and 80–100 % of the time had a significantly higher risk (OR 10.49 and 13.52, respectively) of shedding Toxocara eggs. Other risk factors were coprophagy (OR 2.44) and recently being kenneled (OR 2.76). Although the applied deworming frequency was not significantly associated with shedding Toxocara eggs, there was a trend towards no shedding in dogs under strict supervision that were dewormed 3–4 times a year. Most dog owners (68 %) recognized ‘dog’s health’ as the main reason for deworming. Only 16 % of dogs were dewormed four times a year. It was concluded that the prevalence of Toxocara egg-shedding household dogs is almost unchanged over recent years and that the knowledge of owners is insufficient to expect sound decisions on routine deworming.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Bayer Animal Health for partially financing this study. Bayer Animal Health did not have any influence on the design of this study or on the outcomes. The Veterinary Microbiological Diagnostic Centre of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University, Stephanie Rodenberg and students performing their research internship are acknowledged for their substantial contribution to the laboratory work and Nicole Buijtendijk for the administrative support. The owners participating in this study are acknowledged for supplying faeces and answering the questionnaire.
Conflicts of interest
The authors of this paper state that there are no conflicts of interest concerning this paper.
Bayer Animal Health had no saying in the study design nor in the outcome or reporting of the results.
Though the corresponding author is involved in the ESCCAP organization as the secretary of ESCCAP Benelux, this did not influence the study design nor the outcome or reporting of the results.
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Nijsse, R., Ploeger, H.W., Wagenaar, J.A. et al. Toxocara canis in household dogs: prevalence, risk factors and owners’ attitude towards deworming. Parasitol Res 114, 561–569 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4218-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4218-9