Coccidia (protozoa : sporozoasida) of cats and dogs IV. Identity and prevalence in dogs

Examination of 481 faecal samples from North Island dogs revealed that 307 (63.8%) contained coccidia. The majority of infected samples contained a single coccidian but in total 4 valid coccidian parasites of dogs were identified. Two further coccidians, accidentally “parasitic” in dogs, were tentatively identified. The identities and prevalences of the valid coccidian parasites were — Isospora canis (4.0%), Isospora ohioensis (9.2%), Hammondia heydorni (2.7%), Sarcocystis spp. (58.8%); and of the accidental coccidian “parasites” — Isospora lacazei (2.1%), Eimeria spp. (9.8%).