Parasitic Nematode and Protozoa Status of Working Sheepdogs on the North Island of New Zealand

Abstract

Working farm dogs in New Zealand may have a high parasitic challenge because of access to raw meat and close contact with other dogs. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the percentage of dogs with gastrointestinal nematode and protozoan parasite lifecycle stages present in their feces and to identify factors associated with the presence of parasites. A single researcher collected information about the dogs and their management via a questionnaire, body condition scored (BCS) the dogs, and collected fecal samples to determine the parasite burden. Fecal samples were collected from 171 dogs and 40% (95% CI 33.0% to 47.7%) contained parasite ova or (oo)cysts. There was no association between BCS and the presence of nematodes and parasites (p = 0.74) in the feces. The percentage of dogs with parasites present in their feces was not associated with BCS or the frequency with which anthelmintic drugs were reportedly administered (p = 0.61). The high percentage of dogs with parasites are of concern for the health of the dogs and their owners, given the zoonotic potential of some parasites. Further, research should also focus on understanding why reporting giving anthelmintic drugs at least every three months did not eliminate the infection.

TeamMate: A longitudinal study of New Zealand working farm dogs. I. Methods, population characteristics and health on enrolment.

“…However, in Sheard's study no data on body weight or body condition scores were collected that could have confirmed or negated owners' assessments. O'Connell et al [6] reports similarly low BCS in their sample population, but did not find a correlation between BCS and the presence of parasites in faecal samples, or dogs' sex, age or housing. It should be noted that body condition scoring for dogs was developed with the aim of estimating body fat in overweight dogs [22,23] and is poorly validated for athletic, lean dogs.…”

“…Similarly to dogs surveyed by Singh et al and O'Connell et al [6,18] most dogs in this study were fed a combination of meat sourced on the farm and commercial dog food, and only one dog owner reported to having feed their dogs only meat in the previous six months. However, we were not able to record the amounts of food given, the quality of the food or the ratios of meat to commercial food.…”

“…In comparison, a study of 196 working farm dogs on the North Island of New Zealand reported that 53% of dogs were vaccinated annually or every two years [6]. The majority of dogs in O'Connell et al's study were recruited from a veterinary practice in the Waikato region, with the remainder being recruited at a North Island sheepdog trial event [6]. Possibly, dog owners in Canterbury and Otago tend to live further from veterinary clinics than those in the Waikato region, making it more difficult for them to 13 get their dogs vaccinated regularly.…”

“…Most dog owners reported that the meat fed to dogs had been frozen, and that offal had been cooked. Working farm dogs are at risk of infection from a range of parasites that could be spread through untreated meat [6]. In addition to regular anthelmintic treatment, freezing or cooking meat and offal that is to be fed to dogs is recommended to reduce the spread of these parasites, especially those that might be spread to livestock [6,26].…”

“…In the TeamMate population, only 24% of dogs were vaccinated as adults, from yearly to sporadically, although another 45% were known to have been vaccinated as a puppy. In comparison, a study of 196 working farm dogs on the North Island of New Zealand reported that 53% of dogs were vaccinated annually or every two years [6]. The majority of dogs in O'Connell et al's study were recruited from a veterinary practice in the Waikato region, with the remainder being recruited at a North Island sheepdog trial event [6].…”