Gastrointestinal helminthes of dogs and owners perception of dogs parasitic zoonoses in Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia

The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes in dogs was investigated by faecal examination from 860 dogs employing direct smear, simple flotation and sedimentation techniques. A structured questionnaire was also completed by 476 owners to assess the public awareness of zoonotic helminthes transmitted by dogs. Of the 860 dogs examined 768 (89.3%) were found to be positive for different types of helminth eggs. The following helminthes, with their respective prevalence, were diagnosed:Strongyloides species (60.1%), Ancylostoma species (52.2%), Dipylidium species (40.6%), Toxocara species (23.3%), Echinococcus species (5.8%) and Trichurisspecies (4.9%). The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes were significantly affected by age (P < 0.001), sub-city (P < 0.05) and confinement types (P < 0.001). Higher prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was recorded in younger dogs less than one year of age (95.6%, CI = 93.1 to 98.2). Free-roaming and semi-confined dogs were harboring significantly higher prevalence of helminthes (100%) than strictly confined dogs (62.6%, CI = 56.5 to 68.7). The present study reported that 99.2% of dog owners were not aware of the zoonotic parasite transmitted by dogs and 88.2% of them never used anthelmintics for treatment of their dogs. The high prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites of dogs and lack of owners’ awareness in Hawassa indicates a potential risk to human health. Thus, serious attention by the veterinarians, municipality of the town and public health service to increase awareness of their potential threat to human health is desirable.   Key words: Helminth, dogs, prevalence, zoonoses, Hawassa.