Effectiveness of ultrasound examination in mono- and mixed infections of dogs
Abstract
Protozoan and helminthic gastrointestinal parasites of domestic dogs are very common invasive pathogens. Depending on the parasitic load on the body of a sick animal, the course of the infection varies from asymptomatic to severe, sometimes fatal. In the detection of various pathological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, an important place belongs to ultrasound examin a tion. It is the fastest, most informative and accessible method of visualization in veterinary medicine, and also allows one to safely assess the state of the abdominal organs and detect pathological changes in good time . The aim of the research was to investigate the informativeness of ultrasound examination of the stomach and small intestine in toxocariasis monoinfection and toxocariasis-cystoisosporiasis co-infection in dogs. It was found that parasitism by Toxocara canis and Cystoisospora canis led to changes in the metric indicators of the stomach and small intestine wall. Even more significant changes were found in toxocariasis-cystoisosporiasis co-infection than in toxocariasis monoinfection . In the latter case, regardless of the weight category of dogs, the changes were characterized by simultaneous thickening of the stomach wall (by 15.4–46.4%) and duodenum (by 10.3%) in dogs weighing 5–15 kg, and duondenum (by 15.1%) in dogs weighing 15–30 kg. Also, in dogs weighing 5–15 kg the thickness of the jejunum wall was reduced by 18.2–32.1%, that of the ileum as well, (by 8.0%) and the ileum wall was thinner in dogs weighing 15–30 kg (by 12.1%). It was found that all dogs infected with T. canis had a thickened submucosal layer of the stomach wall (by 42.9–50.0%) and a thinned mucosal layer of the jejunum wall (by 18.5–35.0%). In dogs weighing 5–15 and 15–30 kg, thickening of the mucous layer of the duodenal wall (by 11.1 % and 8.5%, respectively) and thinning of the jejunum wall (by 20.0 % and 37.5%, respectively) were detected. In toxocariasis-cystoisosporiasis co-infection, regardless of the weight category of dogs, the changes in the intestines were characterized by thickening of the gastric wall (by 33.3–67.9%), duodenum wall (by 20.9–26.5%) and thinning of the jejunum (by 24.2–39.3%) and ileum wall (by 8.2–15.2%). Changes in the walls occurred due to thickening of all layers of the stomach (by 13.6–80.0%), duodenum (by 12.6–75.0%), as well as thinning of all layers of the jejunum wall (by 20.0–45.0%). Thinning of the ileum wall occurred due to thinning of the mucous layer (by 24.0–40.0%). The obtained data co n firm the feasibility of using ultrasound in the assessment of structural and functional changes in the gastrointestinal tract of dogs with mono- and co-infections.References
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