Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infection in dogs from Kaunas

The study was designated to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infection in dogs from Kaunas. Fifty dogs were randomly selected and fecal samples were collected from 25 domestic and 25 stray (living in shelters) dogs. The results were compared between these two groups, taking into account dogs age, gender and living conditions. Fecal samples were analyzed at Laboratory for Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, of the using the modified McMaster technique. The study showed that 26 % of investigated dogs were infected with gastrointestinal helminth infection, among which 10 % were domestic dogs and 16 % stray dogs. Domestic and stray dogs were mainly infected with gastrointestinal nematodes: 12 % domestic dogs and 32 % stray dogs. Infection with gastrointestinal cestodes between the two groups were comparable, i.e., of 8 %