CANINE HOOKWORM PRESENCE IN TONGATAPU, TONGA

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Parasitology
• Public Health

Background:

• Dogs are integral to Tongan society, serving as pets and guard animals, often with free-roaming behaviors.
• Limited data exists on the health status and pathogen carriage of dogs in Tonga.
• Understanding canine health is crucial due to the close human-animal relationship and potential zoonotic disease transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of endoparasites in dogs in Tonga.
• To determine packed cell volume (PCV) values in Tongan dogs.
• To establish a baseline methodology for future canine health research in Tonga.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of blood and fecal samples from dogs in Tonga.
• Fecal analysis to identify endoparasitic infections.
• Hematologic evaluation to determine packed cell volume (PCV) values.

Main Results:

• Hookworm was identified in 73% of dogs, predominantly in those aged 4-12 months.
• Low to borderline low packed cell volume (PCV) was observed in 87% of the dogs.
• Preliminary data on canine endoparasites and hematologic status were collected.

Conclusions:

• High prevalence of hookworm and anemia (low PCV) in Tongan dogs.
• Identified pathogens pose a zoonotic risk, particularly to children.
• The study highlights the need for further research and intervention strategies for canine health in Tonga.