Innovative Journal Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science 2589-9341 1 1 2020 7 27 GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH PARASITES OF DOMESTIC DOGS IN JOS NORTH, PLATEAU STATE NIGERIA: A FAECAL EXAMINATION STUDY 1 karaye, G.P. Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Jos. kaze, P. D Department of Theriogenology and Production, University of Jos. akinsola, O.M Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Jos. wamtas, F.I. Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Jos. kogi, A. C. Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Jos. karaye , K.K. Central Diagnostic Laboratory, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom. Journal Article https://doi.org/10.15520/jmrhs.v6i7.220 Abstract Dogs are the most common pet animals worldwide. They may harbor Toxocariasis which remains the most important parasitic infection affecting dogs and pose a risk to animal and human health. There is inadequate information on the risk of this infection on dogs in Jos, Jos North LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria. Thus, a baseline study was undertaken from January 2019 to March 2020 to determine the prevalence of zoonotic gastrointestinal parasite of domestic dogs brought for routine clinical treatment in the Jos University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Jos Plateau State. A total of 321 faecal samples collected randomly from dogs were processed and examined for helminthes eggs using modified Kato-Katz technique.The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes was 50.01%. Toxocara canis was the most frequently observed gastrointestinal helminthes parasites with a prevalence of 30.63%, while prevalence of 9.68% was recorded for a mixed infection of Toxocara canis, and Ancylostoma caninum, 1.88% was obtained for Diphylidium caninum and 7.81% for the single infection of Ancylostoma caninum respectively. During the study period, the occurrence of gastrointestinal helminthes based on monthly distribution were; January recorded the highest Prevalence of 35.48% mixed infection(polyparasitism) followed by February (20.00%) in the single infection(monoparasitism) of Ancylostoma caninum and March (20.00%) in Ancylostoma caninum occurrence. The lowest occurrence was recorded in (16.6%), followed by June-July (4.04%) then October and September, gave a high prevalence of 33.33% in patterns in Diphylidium caninuminfections. Toxocara canis infection was age dependent showing a decreasing prevalence with age of host. Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma caninum and Dipylidium caninum were the zoonotic gastrointestinal helminthes prevalent in dogs in the study area. This study provides a baseline data and evidence that Zoonotic infection is prevalent in dogs in the study area, therefore, the need to educate the residents of Jos Metropolis on the danger of close association or companion with their dogs.