Identificación morfológica de acariasis en caninos (canis lupus familiaris) mediante observación directa microscópica, en el suroeste del Cantón Santa Rosa.

Abstract

Mites are part of the oldest, most diverse, and numerous groups of animals that have existed since life appeared on the planet, that of arthropods. There are certain species of mites that affect humans and domestic animals, producing pathological alterations in the keratinized regions of the skin, hair, and scalp. It is common to find animals with poor body condition, living under constant stress, exposed to wounds, etc. These and other factors cause the animal's organism to decrease its ability to defend itself against external agents present in the environment, as well as those that normally cohabit in the animal's organism, leading to the manifestation of different types of diseases, mostly triggered by opportunistic agents. Therefore, this research aimed to identify the causal agent of dermatitis through complementary tests such as skin scraping, swabbing, trichography, and Graham's technique, as well as to determine whether there is an association between the presence of identified mites with age, breed, sex, place of residence, and diet in canines positive for acariasis. For this study, samples were taken from 237 canines that presented cutaneous problems, of which 68 canines tested positive for acariasis, representing 28.69%, while 169 canines tested negative, accounting for 71.30%. Likewise, the presence of bacteria was identified through complementary tests in 98.31% of the sampled canines. Regarding the variable age, statistical significance (p < 0.05) was determined between age and the presence of mites in those canines aged between 1 year and 5 years, as well as in the breed variable, showing significance in breeds such as French Poodle, mixed-breed dogs, Golden Retriever, Bulldog, Pitbull, Pug. On the contrary, in the variables of breed, place of residence, and balanced diet, no significance was found for the presence of mites in canines (p > 0.05). These findings confirm that animals genetically inclined or showing immunological alterations tend to present dermatological alterations, allowing for excessive mite growth, leading to instability occurring at any age but with a higher inclination in canines between the first few days of life and 5 years of age, also considering the existence of predisposing factors that increase the probability of acquiring and spreading it. Therefore, periodic reviews in pets are recommended in order to maintain control and thus prevent possible infections due to ectoparasitic agents from causing injury to the skin of canines, promoting their well-being and avoiding them being sources of contagion and transmission.