Retrospective study on the incidence of gastrointestinal and blood parasites in dogs at Pantnagar and their public health significance.

Coprological examination of 709 samples of dogs from 2001 to 2006 revealed an overall incidence of 23.27% gastrointestinal (G.I.) parasites. Various G.I. parasites recorded were Ancylostoma caninum (13.68%), Toxocara canis (2.12%), Dipylidium caninum (5.50%), Taenia spp. (0.42%), Spirometra spp. (0.85%), Isospora spp. and Entamoeba histolytica (0.14%), mixed infection of A. caninum and T. canis (0.28%) and A. caninum and D. caninum (0.14%). Monthly faecal examinations revealed maximum positive samples in the month of July (36.54%), followed by August (32.81%) and June (26.76%). Low incidence was recorded during April (5.77%), followed by March (10.45%). A total of 696 blood samples of dogs were also examined from 2001 to 2006 for blood parasites. An overall per cent incidence of 8.19 was observed. Among the blood parasites, microfilariae (3.02%), Trypanosoma evansi (2.59%), Hepatozoon canis (1.29%), Ehrlichia canis (0.86%), Babesia canis and B. gibsoni (0.14% each) and a mixed infection of E. canis and H. canis (0.14%) were found. Highest incidence of blood parasites was recorded in the rainy season (11.37%) followed by summer (7.82%) and winter (5.10%). Monthly blood examination revealed the highest positive cases in August (16.67%) , followed by July (12.73%) and the least in November (2.08%).