Ixodid ticks on wild donkeys in a Mediterranean nature reserve (Asinara National Park): diversity and risk factors.

The Sardinian coloured donkey Equus asinus (Perissodactyla: Equidae) and its albino colour morph represent the wildlife species most typical of the island of Asinara. This Mediterranean island represents a favourable context for ticks and tick-borne diseases; however, knowledge of the tick fauna on Asinara is scarce. A total of 106 Sardinian donkeys were inspected for tick infestation from June to November 2015. All ticks found were collected, classified by stage and sex, and identified to species level. The level of infestation of each donkey was determined; both the overall tick infestation and infestations of each detected species were classified on a scale of 1-3 to give an infestation score (IS). Overall, 256 hard ticks were collected from 60 of 106 donkeys (56.6%). Rhipicephalus bursa, Haemaphysalis punctata and Hyalomma marginatum (all: Ixodida: Ixodidae) infested 26.4%, 28.3% and 6.6% of donkeys, respectively. Different variables affected the IS. With reference to overall tick infestation, a higher IS was observed in donkeys grazing on grassland and Mediterranean shrubland and in albino donkeys compared with coloured donkeys. The collected ticks included species involved in the transmission of pathogens to humans, which highlights the risks for public health in a tourist destination such as Asinara National Park.

Lesions of the prepuce and penis in rams: A retrospective study.

In the ovine reproductive management, a thorough breeding soundness evaluation including specific inspection of the male genital tract represents a valuable tool for assessing the reproductive potential of a selected subject and for diagnosing genital disorders. During examination, accurate inspection on penis and prepuce is necessary, since conditions affecting these structures may hamper regular coitus. Records from 1270 males undergoing breeding soundness evaluation (n = 1232) or admitted for genital disorders to the Section of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (n = 38) of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, were collected, and lesions of penis and prepuce were therefore classified. The data collected revealed that 47/1270 rams examined presented lesions of the penis and prepuce. The most frequent condition was urolithiasis accounting for over 2% of the cases, followed by lack of the urethral process (0.39% incidence), lack of the glans penis and hypospadias (0.23% cases). Moreover, most of the conditions (40%) were observed in animals less than 2 years old, suggesting the importance of a careful breeding soundness evaluation in animals at young age.

Endoparasites detected in faecal samples from dogs and cats referred for routine clinical visit in Sardinia, Italy.

This study aimed to update data on the prevalence of intestinal and lung parasitic infections in owned dogs and cats in Sardinia, Italy. Examinations on faecal samples from 619 dogs and 343 cats routinely referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Sassari were performed between the years of 2011 and 2015. Individual faecal samples were analysed using the Wisconsin technique for copro-microscopic examination and the Baermann technique for the presence of lungworm larvae. Endoparasites were found in 34.9% and 43.4% of examined dogs and cats, respectively. Helminthic infections (21.2% in dogs and 32.6% in cats) occurred more frequently than protozoan infections (17.9% in dogs and 17.8% in cats). In both dogs and cats, the most common parasites were ascarids (12.1% and 15.7%), Cystoisospora spp. (10.2% and 10.8%), Giardia duodenalis (9.4% and 8.5%), and hookworms (7.9% and 5.5%). Evidence of bronchopulmonary nematode infections were found in 0.8% of examined dogs and in 15.8% of examined cats. Age was identified as a risk factor, with animals younger than 6months more frequently infected than older animals, while no significant association was observed for gender. This study demonstrated that endoparasites in owned dogs and cats of Sardinia have considerably high prevalence. Veterinary practitioners and pet owners should be more aware of these infections and should adopt more effective and standardized control practices.