Gut Parasites of Donkeys and Horses in a Semi-Urban Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

The epidemiological studies of donkey parasites in the world in general and in Nigeria in particular are fragmentary and not readily available. Given this paucity of information, the present work is aimed at investigating gut parasites of donkeys and horses of Udenu Local Government Area (LGA), Enugu state, Nigeria. Standard procedure of parasite search in vertebrates was used. A total of 23 donkeys and 24 horses were examined for gut helminth parasites. In total, out of 47 equines examined, 43 (91.5%) were infected. Out of 24 horses, 20 (83.3%) were infected while all the donkeys were infected (100.0% prevalence). The difference in infection prevalence between horses and donkeys was not significant (χ2 = 4.190, df = 1, P = 0.060). This study revealed that helminthiases is one of the commonest ill-causing factors in donkeys and horses. It is therefore important that strategic treatment of equines be undertaken.