Protozoarios (Sporozoasida: Coccidiasina) en perros mascota de la ciudad de Cajamarca, norte de Perú

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and describe the morphometric characteristics of coccidia found in pet dogs from Cajamarca city. Fecal samples were collected from 196 dogs and analyzed by the Faust method. The prevalence of animals with coccidia was 27.04 % (95 % CI: 20.82 - 33.26), with 8.67 % (95 % CI: 4.73 - 12.61) corresponding to Eimeria spp., 16.33 % (95% CI: 11.13 - 21.53) to Cystoisospora spp., and 2.04 % (95% CI: 0.06 - 4.02) to Sarcocystis spp. Eimeria spp. oocysts were one- or two-layered walls, yellow-green in color, and ovoid (21.32 ± 4.34 × 17.49 ± 4.13 µm) and ellipsoidal (28.00 ± 2.69 × 18.39 ± 2.24 µm) shapes. Cystoisospora spp. oocysts exhibited a single-layered wall, yellow-green in color, and ovoid (38.73 ± 4.16 × 31.92 ± 2.56 µm) and subspherical (37.98 ± 3.64 × 34.79 ± 3.21 µm) shapes. Meanwhile, the sporocysts of Sarcocystis spp. contained four sporozoites, with a granular residual body at one of their poles. The sporocysts measured 14.16 ± 0.88 × 9.15 ± 0.81 µm. The presence of coccidia in pet dogs from Cajamarca city underscores the importance of simple recognition of at least the parasitic genus for its targeted prevention and treatment.