Age-Dependant Prevalence of Endoparasites in Young Dogs and Cats up to One Year of Age

The results of parasitological examination of faecal samples from 1,206 cats and 2,319 dogs of known age up to one year were analysed. Eggs of Toxocara canis were detected in dogs for the first time at the beginning of the 3 rd week, oocysts of Isospora spp. and cysts of Giardia spp. at the beginning of the 4 th week p.p. High infection rates with Giardia spp. (52.5 %) were demonstrated in the 12 th week, I. canis (30.0 %) in the 15 th week, I. ohioensiscomplex (44.0 %) in the 6 th week, Isospora spp. (50.0 %) in the 7 th week and T. canis (22.2 %) in the 4 th week p.p. Co-infections with Isospora spp. + Giardia spp. (28.0 %), T. canis + Isospora spp. (16.0 %) and T. canis + Giardia spp. (12.0 %) were mainly seen in the 6 th week p.p. In cats, oocysts of Isospora spp. and cysts of Giardia spp. were seen from the 3 rd week and eggs of Toxocara cati from the 5 th week p.p. High infection rates with Giardia spp. (66.7 %) were demonstrated in the 11 th week, Isospora spp. (33.3 %) and I. felis (33.3 %) in the 15 th week, I. rivolta (10.3 %) in the 10 th week and T. cati (11.4 %) in the 8 th week p.p. Co-infections with T. cati + Isospora spp. (9.1 %) were found in the 5 th week, Isospora spp. + Giardia spp. (8.2 %) in the 12 th week and T. cati + Giardia spp. (2.5 %) in the 22 nd week p.p.