Case summaryThis work describes the diagnosis and successful treatment of a 2-year-old domestic cat infected with Leishmania species and presenting fever, and ulcerative and nodular skin lesions after being treated for pyodermatitis for 1 year without clinical improvement. After anamnesis the cat was submitted to a complete clinical examination. Blood was collected for determination of haematological and biochemical parameters, detection of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline coronavirus (FCoV) and Leishmania amastigotes. Fine-needle aspiration puncture from the skin nodules was also performed. After definitive diagnosis the animal was treated and followed up over a 2 year period. The animal tested negative for FIV-specific antibodies, FeLV antigen and feline coronavirus RNA. Leishmania amastigotes in the skin nodules were confirmed by cytology and molecular diagnosis. Treatment was initiated with allopurinol, resulting in a slight clinical improvement. Thus, N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate was added and administered for 30 days, with complete closure of the ulcerative lesions in the hindlimbs requiring a surgical approach. Close monitoring of the patient in the following 24 months indicated that combined therapy was safe and clinical cure was achieved without further relapses or side effects.Relevance and novel informationConsidering the increasing number of feline leishmaniosis cases and the inconsistent results of most therapeutic protocols described in the literature, the use of new approaches, especially in refractory cases, is essential. Although the use of allopurinol and N-methyl-glucamine antimoniate is off-label in cats, in this case the combination treatment was followed by an extensive analytical monitoring, supporting their safety and effectiveness.

Dog parks represent a recent trend in western countries, enabling owners to spend quality time with their pets in a controlled environment. Despite their growing popularity, few studies have been performed to date on these parks to investigate dog intestinal parasitic infections and soil contamination. The present study examined 369 faecal and 18 soil samples collected from 3 dog parks in Greater Lisbon, Portugal. Additionally, 102 interviews were performed with dog owners to assess dog-walking behaviours and parasite risk. In total, 33% of the faecal dog samples were infected with at least one parasitic agent: hookworms (16.5%), Cryptosporidium spp. (11.9%), Giardia spp. (11.4%), Toxascaris leonina (1.1%), Cystoisospora spp. (1.1%), Toxocara spp. (0.5%), and Sarcocystis sp. (0.3%). The soil of all the parks was contaminated with hookworm eggs. This is the first study performed in a European urban area to assess canine faecal contamination and parasitic agents in dog parks. Our results highlight the potential of these parks as a source of transmission for canine parasites, including some with zoonotic potential. Public awareness and effective preventive measures should be promoted to minimise the health-risk impact to both animals and humans, under the scope of environmental and public health.

Gastrointestinal parasites with direct and/or indirect life cycles, namely Eimeria spp., Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum and Capillaria spp., are responsible for the most frequent and heavy economic losses in aviculture. The current review aimed to collect information about gastrointestinal parasites affecting poultry, as well as, research studies regarding parasitic diseases in free-range chicken production. From the references used in this review, 20% highlight research studies correlating prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in free-range chickens and factors such as the production system, age and animal density, hygienic conditions and weather.Coccidiosis is responsible for the major economic losses in poultry farms. Diseases have different clinical signs and result in variable impacts on animals. Control programs include mainly vaccination, anti-coccidia and anthelminthic drugs, as well as, house cleaning and disinfection. This review concluded that coccidia and helminths are a global threat to free-range poultry production. More research in this area is necessary in order to understand the major factors influencing the prevalence of parasitic diseases in this type of poultry production. Also the search for new control strategies must be a priority, mainly using natural antiparasitic compounds and biological control approaches.

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