Observations on the endo‐ and ectoparasites affecting dogs and cats in Aboriginal communities in the north‐west of Western Australia

Abstract

Infectious diseases, including those caused by parasites, are much more common in Australian Aboriginal people than in non-Aboriginal, with most infections occurring in the first 5 years of life (Anon 1989). Aboriginal communities in Australia characteristically have large populations of dogs, which have a close association with members of the community, thus providing a considerable risk from zoonotic diseases. However, it is difficult to determine the exact nature of this risk because of a lack of published data on the parasites of dogs and cats in Aboriginal communities.