Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths and management practices for dogs in the Greater Accra region of Ghana

Toxocariosis and ancylostomosis remain the most important parasitic infections affecting companion animals worldwide and pose a risk to animal and human health. Information on these infections in dogs in Ghana is inadequate. A cross sectional study was undertaken to determine the occurrence of gastrointestinal helminths infections and management practices of dogs in the Greater Accra Region (GAR) of Ghana. Faecal samples were obtained from 380 dogs from communities in 11 out of 16 districts in the GAR. Coprological examination of the samples was performed using the modified McMaster technique. Management practices for control of helminths in dogs were assessed through questionnaire interviews of the dog owners. Most dogs (70.7%) were kept for security reasons and were not housed (61.8%). Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths was 62.6%. Hookworm eggs were found in 178 (46.8%) dogs, Toxocara canis eggs in 22 (5.8%) and mixed infections of hookworms and T. canis in 38 (10.0%). Dipylidium caninum was found in 51 (13.4%) dogs, while Isospora species was in 33 (8.5%) dogs. Most households (68%; 133/194) of the sampled dogs had at least a child below the age of 5 years. Hookworm, T. canis and D. caninum were the zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths prevalent in dogs in the study area. Lack of housing for dogs creates ideal conditions for infection and spread of the zoonotic parasites.