Parasite control practices and public perception of parasitic diseases: A survey of dog and cat owners

Matos, Mariana Bonati de; Alho, Ana Margarida; Owen, Sinclair Patrick; Nunes, Telmo; Carvalho, Luís Madeira de

doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.09.006

Cited by 74 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…an average of 1.9 for household cats and 2.7 for shelter cats per year). This could be explained by a misconception of the cat owners that indoor cats do not need preventive treatments [53]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abundance, zoonotic potential and risk factors of intestinal parasitism amongst dog and cat populations: The scenario of Crete, Greece

Kostopoulou

Claerebout

Arvanitis³

et al. 2017

Parasites Vectors

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BackgroundThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence and infection intensity of intestinal parasites in different dog and cat populations in Crete, Greece, estimate the zoonotic risk and identify risk factors.MethodsFaecal samples from shelter, household and shepherd dogs and shelter and household cats were analyzed using sedimentation/flotation techniques. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected by a quantitative direct immunofluorescence assay (IFA). PCR and sequencing was performed to evaluate the zoonotic potential of Giardia and Cryptosporidium positive samples.ResultsTotals of 879 dog and 264 cat faecal samples were examined. In dogs, the overall prevalence was 25.2% (CI: 22.4–28.1) for Giardia spp.; 9.2% (CI: 7.3–11.1) for Ancylostoma/Uncinaria spp.; 7.6% (CI: 5.9–9.4) for Toxocara spp.; 5.9% (CI: 4.4–7.5) for Cryptosporidium spp.; 4.6% (CI: 3.2–5.9) for Cystoisospora spp.; 2.7% (CI: 1.7–3.8) for Toxascaris leonina; 1.7% (CI: 0.9–2.6) for Capillaria spp.; 0.8% (CI: 0.2–1.4) for taeniid eggs; 0.2% (CI: 0–0.5) for Dipylidium caninum; and 0.1% (CI: 0–0.3) for Strongyloides stercoralis. In cats, the prevalence was 20.5% (CI: 15.6–25.3) for Giardia spp.; 9.5% (CI: 5.9–13.0) for Cystoisospora spp.; 8.3% (CI: 5.0–11.7) for Toxocara spp.; 7.6% (CI: 4.4–10.8) for Ancylostoma/Uncinaria spp.; 6.8% (CI: 3.8–9.9) for Cryptosporidium spp.; 4.2% (CI: 1.8–6.6) for Capillaria spp.; 0.8% (CI: 0–1.8) for taeniid eggs; and 0.4% (CI: 0–1.1) for Hammondia/Toxoplasma. Concerning the risk factors evaluated, there was a negative association between age and Giardia infection and between age and T. leonina infection intensity for dogs. Sequencing results revealed the presence of mainly animal-specific G. duodenalis assemblages C and D in dogs and assemblages F, C and BIV-like in cats, with only a limited number of (co-)infections with assemblage A. As for Cryptosporidium, the dog-specific C. canis and the pig-specific C. scrofarum were detected in dogs and the cat-specific C. felis was detected in cats.ConclusionsHigh levels of parasitism in both dogs and cats were recorded. Giardia was the most prevalent parasite in all dog and cat populations except for shepherd dogs. Genotyping results suggest a limited zoonotic risk of Giardia and Cryptosporidium infections from dogs and cats in Crete. Taeniid eggs were more prevalent in shepherd dogs suggesting access to carcasses and posing a threat for cystic echinococcosis transmission. Infection rates of Toxocara spp. in both dogs and cats show that companion animals could be a significant source of infection to humans.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-1989-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abundance, zoonotic potential and risk factors of intestinal parasitism amongst dog and cat populations: The scenario of Crete, Greece

Kostopoulou

Claerebout

Arvanitis³

et al. 2017

Parasites Vectors

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“…UK pet owners deworm currently for a mixture of pet health and to prevent zoonosis [6,7,18]. However, the frequency at which this is carried out likely falls below what is recommended.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survey of UK pet owners quantifying internal parasite infection risk and deworming recommendation implications

Pennelegion¹,

Drake

Wiseman³

et al. 2020

Parasites Vectors

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Background: Dogs and cats in the UK are exposed to many internal parasites which can pose risks to the health of both the pet and their owners. By understanding these endemic parasites and the risks they pose, we can assess the lifestyle of pets and recommend the correct deworming frequency. Studies identifying risk factors were discussed in the European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP) guidelines. To this date, there has been very little information on how pet owners in the UK deworm their pets and if the protocols they follow align with ESCCAP recommendations. The objective of this study was to look at the current deworming protocols of UK cat and dog owners in conjunction with their lifestyle and risk. Methods: An online survey was conducted in the UK targeting pet owners who own at least one dog and/or cat and were responsible for product purchase, the pet's health care and veterinary visits. These survey results were analysed against the ESCCAP guidelines and each pet placed into a risk category. By comparing the current deworming frequency with that recommended for their risk category, the compliance of UK pet owners with ESCCAP recommendations was evaluated. Results: A total of 500 dog owners and 500 cat owners completed surveys. Overall, the study found none of the pets fell into risk group A, with all pets meeting the risk level for at least deworming four times a year (risk group B and above). The majority of animals fell into the highest risk category D with 97% of dogs and 68% of cats. The average deworming per year in the UK was 3.1 for dogs and 3.1 cats, below the minimum recommended by ESCCAP. Conclusions: For both felines and canines, the dosing frequencies are lower than recommended to both reduce zoonotic risk for reducing Toxocara spp. egg-shedding and improve pet health. This research highlights the need for improved education around dog and cat patient risk assessments and greater adherence to recommended deworming aligned with the ESCCAP guidelines.

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“…In fact, many owners already have at least a partial understanding of these factors. According to a recent study about the public perception of parasitic diseases, most of the individuals interviewed pointed to the external environment, followed by direct transmission from infected animals, as potential sources of ectoparasites in pets (MATOS et al, 2015). In Brazil and elsewhere, public awareness represents a first step towards early diagnosis, management and prevention of zoonotic diseases, which take a toll on the public health system of developing and developed countries (COLWELL et al, 2011).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occurrence of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Association With the Outdoor Habits of Household Dogs and Cats a Case-Control Study

Pereira

Chiconini

Leonel

et al. 2018

Ars Vet

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Many owners believe to act in their pets' best interest by allowing them to go outside, with or without supervision. However, outdoor exposure greatly increases the risk of disease and accidents. In this study, we evaluated the association between infectious and parasitic diseases and the outdoor habits of pet dogs and cats. Epidemiological data were obtained from the records of dogs and cats treated at the Teaching Clinic and Hospital Unit of Veterinary Medicine in the city of Pirassununga, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Pets with any form of infection were included in the case study group, and pets with no infectious or parasitic diseases were used as controls. Animals were further divided according to their habits into indoor animals, indoor animals taken for walks, and outdoor animals. The odds ratio of having a disease was calculated from the comparisons among these groups using the MedCalc Statistical Software. We found an increased risk for the occurrence of infectious or parasitic diseases in outdoor dogs and cats when compared to indoor animals (OR of 4.735) and to those taken for walks (OR of 2.303). In light of our results, we suggest that awareness campaigns should also focus on the benefits of keeping pets indoors. KEY-WORDS:Access to outdoor. Odds ratio. Infection. Canine. Feline. RESUMOMuitos proprietários acreditam agir no melhor interesse de seus animais de estimação permitindo-os o acesso ao ambiente externo, com ou sem supervisão. Entretanto, isso aumenta consideravelmente o risco para a ocorrência de doenças e acidentes. Neste estudo, foi avaliada a associação entre doenças infecciosas e parasitárias com relação aos hábitos semi-domiciliados de cães e gatos. Dados epidemiológicos foram obtidos de arquivo de prontuários de cães e gatos atendidos na Unidade Didática Clínico Hospitalar (UDCH) do curso de Medicina Veterinária da FZEA/USP no município de Pirassununga, estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Animais de estimação que apresentaram doenças infectoparasitárias foram incluídos no grupo de casos; animais sem tais doenças, controles. Os animais foram ainda divididos de acordo em domiciliados, domiciliados frequentemente levados a passeios e semi-domiciliados. A razão de chances para a ocorrência de doenças infecciosas foi calculada a partir da comparação dos grupos supracitados, fazendo uso do software estatístico MedCalc. Encontrou-se um risco aumentado para a ocorrência de doenças infecto-parasitárias em cães e gatos semi-domiciliados quando comparados aos animais domiciliados (OR de 4.735) e quanto aos domiciliados guiados em passeios (OR de 2.303). À luz dos resultados se sugere que campanhas de conscientização foquem também nos benefícios da criação domiciliada de animais de estimação. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:Acesso à rua. Razão de chances. Infecçã o. Caninos. Felinos.

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Parasite control practices and public perception of parasitic diseases: A survey of dog and cat owners

Cited by 74 publications

References 24 publications

Abundance, zoonotic potential and risk factors of intestinal parasitism amongst dog and cat populations: The scenario of Crete, Greece

Abundance, zoonotic potential and risk factors of intestinal parasitism amongst dog and cat populations: The scenario of Crete, Greece

Survey of UK pet owners quantifying internal parasite infection risk and deworming recommendation implications

Occurrence of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Association With the Outdoor Habits of Household Dogs and Cats a Case-Control Study

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