Dipylidium caninum in dogs and screening of fleas as possible vectors in Greater Guwahati

A study on dipylidiosis in dog with simultaneous screening of ectoparasites from the same host animals and others were made to ascertain the possible incriminating vectors in the region involved in its transmission. In the present investigation, Dipylidium caninum infection was found to be 23.33% on carcass examination, 0.56% on faecal examination and 2.00% were parasitologically positive for D. caninum gravid segments. Different flea species, Ctenocephalides canis, C. felis felis, C. felis orientis and Xenopsylla cheopis were recorded from dog, cat, mice, goat and cattle. Predominant species in dog were C. felis orientis (40.42%) and C. canis (10.63%). In cat, C. felis felis (50.00%), X. cheopis (27.78%), C. canis (16.67%) and C. felis orientis (5.56%) were recorded. Rate of flea infestation was highest in dog (68.66%) followed by mice (62.50%), cat (24.00%), goat (20.00%) and cattle (13.33%). C. canis and C. felis felis were the incriminating vectors of D. caninum found. Recovery percent of cysticercoid of the tapeworm was only 0.65% from fleas of dog origin. Dog lice Trichodectis canis was not encountered in the present study.