Parasite species diversity in stray dogs from the city of Sofia

A coprological examination was conducted on stray dogs captured in Sofia as part of other preventive veterinary measures. The animals were divided into three age groups: ≤1 year, 1–5 years, and >5 years. Routine coproscopic methods were employed, including isolation of tapeworm segments, fecal flotation with both sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate, and larvoscopy using the modified Baermann technique. The overall prevalence of parasitic infection in the studied dogs was 81.32%. The results revealed the presence of reproductive stages (eggs, oocysts, larvae, and mature proglottids) of the following helminths and parasitic protozoa: Ancylostomatidae (42.59%), Trichuris spp. (28.70%), Toxocara canis (27.78%), Toxascaris leonina (9.26%), Dipylidium caninum (4.63%), Taenia hydatigena (1.85%), Isospora spp. (1.85%), and Angiostrongylus vasorum (0.93%). The highest prevalence of parasitic infection was observed in dogs from the youngest age group (90.91%). These findings confirm that stray dogs in Sofia serve as significant reservoirs and disseminators of parasites, posing a potential risk of transmission to domestic dogs and humans.