Twenty-nine grizzly bears, Ursus arctos L., killed between 1965 and 1967 in northwestern Canada, principally the Yukon Territory, were examined for helminths. The authors found six species of helminths with the following prevalence: Baylisascaris transfuga (Rudolphi, 1819) Sprent, 1968 in 16 of 21 bears; Dochmoides yukonensis Wolfgang, 1956 in 10 of 21; Dirofilaria ursi Yamaguti, 1941 in 3 of 27; Trichnella spiralis (Owen, 1835) Railliet, 1896 in21 of 24; Diphyllobolhrium (?) ursi Rausch, 1954 provis. in 3 of 21; and Taenia krabbei Moniez, 1879 in 2 of 21 bears. These findings are discussed in the light of other reports, and constitute the first record of helminths from grizzly bears in Canada.

Wolves from the Yukon and Northwest Territories harbored the following gastrointestinal helminths: Alaria americana (10 of 171), A. arisaemoides (2/171), Diphyllobothrium sp, (1/171). Mesocestoidcs kirbyi (3/171), Taenia hydatigena (54/111), T. krabbei (63/111), T. pisiformis (2/111), T. serialis (41/111), Echinococcus granulosus (24/171), Toxascaris leonina (83/171). Uncinaria stenocephala (11/171), Spirocerca arctica (1/171), and S. lupi (1/171). Larval Trichinella spiralis occurred in 72 of 153 diaphragms. A. arisaemoides, M. kirbyi, and S. arctica were found for the first time in Canis lupus, while S. lupi, S. arctica, and the prevalence of T. spiralis in wolves are reported for the first time in Canada.

No abstract

Serum and blood samples from 86 wolves taken in northern Canada were examined for neutralizing antibodies to canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and canine herpesvirus. The tests were performed on eluates prepared from paper discs previously saturated with serum or blood from wolf carcasses. Canine distemper and infectious canine hepatitis antibodies were demonstrated in two and eleven samples respectively. No reactors were detected for canine herpesvirus. These findings indicate the existence of the viruses of both CD and ICH in free-living wolves in northern Canada. However, their significance in these animals is not known.