Gastrointestinal helminthiases associated with cause of death in dogs and cats from southern Brazil.

Abstract

Studies on helminth infections in dogs and cats are typically based on fecal parasitological exams, while the correlation between helminths and diseases in necropsied animals remains poorly explored. This study assessed the occurrence of gastrointestinal helminths in dogs and cats and their association with the cause of death. A total of 1057 dogs and 416 cats were analyzed, considering factors such as age, sex, breed, body condition, mucous membrane coloration, and intensity of parasitic infection. The occurrence of helminths was 12.77 % (135/1057) in dogs and 17.79 % (74/416) in cats. The main parasites identified were Dipylidium sp. (68 dogs - 50.3 %; 34 cats - 45.9 %), Ancylostoma sp. (36 dogs - 26.6 %; 3 cats - 4 %), and Toxocara sp. (47 dogs - 34.8 %; 50 cats - 37 %). Most parasitized animals presented pale mucous membranes, 95 dogs (70.3 %) and 53 cats (71.6 %). Regarding body condition, 56 dogs (41.4 %) and 31 cats (41.8 %) were in regular condition, while 48 dogs (35.5 %) and 21 cats (28.3 %) were thin. The age groups with the highest occurrence of helminth infection were puppies (44.4 %) among dogs and junior (39.1 %) among cats. Univariate analysis and odds ratio revealed that dogs with viral diseases were 2.46 times more likely to present gastrointestinal helminths, while puppies were 4.83 times more likely to be infected. In dogs, a significant correlation was found between viral diseases and all gastrointestinal helminths analyzed. A marked increase in parasitism associated with nutritional diseases was observed in dogs (OR = 11.28; IC = 95 %). Among cats, there was a significant association between bacterial diseases and the presence of helminths, especially Toxocara sp. (OR = 3.09; IC = 95 %). These findings reinforce the importance of necropsy for the diagnosis of parasitic infections, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the animal's health and concomitant diseases.