A survey of Toxocara infections in cat breeding colonies in The Netherlands.

Faecal samples from 225 adults cats and 112 kittens and dust and soil samples from 25 catteries in the Netherlands were examined for Toxocara eggs. The results of this survey showed a low nematode infection rate in the investigated Dutch catteries since only four adult cats (2%) from two catteries (8%) were found to shed Toxocara cati eggs. No other helminth eggs were seen in the faecal samples. Nematode eggs were not present in the environmental dust and soil samples from houses and kennels; only Dipylidium caninum eggs were found in only two samples of household dust.