Examination of fecal flotation method in the diagnosis of demodicosis in digs

Aim: Demodicosis is a common parasitic dermatosis in dogs caused by overgrowth of the Demodex spp. Definitive diagnosis is made by deep skin scraping, which is considered the gold standard diagnostic method. Less traumatic methods such as trichogram and acetate tape techniques can also be used. In recent years, non-invasive, sensitive and easily applicable diagnostic methods have been investigated for the rapid diagnosis of canine demodicosis. There are limited studies investigating faecal flotation method in the diagnosis of demodicosis in dogs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the usefullness of faecal flotation method in the diagnosis of dogs with generalised and localised demodicosis and the effect of pyoderma on Demodex spp. Material and Metods: The dogs with dermatological disorders presented to Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research and Application Hospital were divided into two groups according to the prevalence of lesions and subgroups according to the presence of pyoderma. Fresh faecal samples taken from dogs with dermatological diseases brought to the hospital were examined for the presence of Demodex spp. mites under microscope by applying zinc sulphate flotation technique. The data obtained in the study were evaluated with SPSS 20.0 package programme. The frequencies between the groups were determined by Chi-square (χ 2) test.Results: Of the 36 dogs with demodicosis, 15 (41.7%) had localised demodicosis and 21 (58.3%) had generalised demodicosis. Demodex spp. was detected in the faeces of 19 (52.8%) of these dogs. Of the 19 dogs with Demodex spp. in faeces, 14 (73.7%) were diagnosed as complicated and 5 (26.3%) as non-complicated. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that faecal flotation method can be used as a complementary method in the diagnosis of demodicosis in dogs. Keywords: Demodicosis, Diagnosis, Dog, Fecal Flotation