Incidência de giardíase em cães atendidos no Hospital Veterinário do UNIFEOB em São João da Boa Vista

Abstract

Giardia is a protozoan that affects several animal species including man. It is transmitted through contaminated water and food containing cysts, through fecal and oral means, direct animal-animal contact, where animals are clustered. This parasite causes poor digestion of nutrients, pale and fetid stools, steatorrhea, chronic diarrhea, weight loss or small weight gain. In this work, the incidence of giardiasis in dogs treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Fundação de Ensino Octávio Bastos was verified. Of the 981 dogs treated from April 2008 to April 2009, 26 had canine giardiasis. The present study found that females were the most affected and the highest incidence was in adult dogs. In relation to the period of the year, autumn had a higher number of diagnoses, due to the average temperature in this season varying according to the region of the country.