Domestic Pets

Injury Guide

PARASITES IN DOGS

Parasites are living creatures that live on or in another - at its expense. Steal nutrients, hold down weight gain and may cause chronic diarrhea,blood in the stool, anemia, skin disease, and heart disease as well as spreading bacterial,viral or protozoan diseases

Most live in cycles that carry them through a series of hosts.The objective of treatment is not only to destroy the adult parasite,but whenever possible to break the life cycle The parasites of domestic animals, fall into two clear-cut groups,internal - endoparasites and external (ectoparasites).Those most frequently found in or on dogs are

Tapeworms

These are fairly common,but rarely cause any significant problem in the dogs.

The hydatid tapeworm, however can be a serious health hazard for humans.Dogs become infected,when they are fed offal (liver,heart,kidney), intestines from sheep/cattle or pigs.The eggs passed in the dog's faeces are then infectious for humans.It is always inadvisable to feed raw offal to dogs unless certain precautions are taken

Causes: Other tapeworm infections can occur when the dog eats uncooked meat or swallows fleas or lice which may be intermediate hosts

Diagnosis: Is sometimes made by examining faeces microscopically for eggs, but is more frequently the result of finding segments of the mature worm on top of stools - they look like cut pieces of white ribbon

Treatment: Medication for worming is available so contact your vet for a prescription.This is especially important when hydatid worms are to be treated as only a few types of medication are effective

ASCARIDS

Ascarids are probably the most common internal parasites found in yougn puppies.A pregnant dog can be treated for Ascarides, if infected, she should be

Piperazine is the generic name of the medicine.It is not toxic to the fetus, and infections can be transmitted prenatally,by the way of the placenta or postnatally in the mother's milk during the first twenty-four hours after birth.During its first month,the pup may also pick up the parasite by eating infected eggs

Lodged in the small intestine, the adult worm compete with the puppy for nutrition,releasing eggs that pass in the faeces.In one to four weeks, these contain larval worms that if the eggs are eaten, can infect a new host such as a rat.The rat too - if eaten - serves as a means of spreading the infection further

When the larvae are released from the eggs,they spend from 2-4 weeks travelling though the host body tissues, the lungs and intestinal linings - until at 8weeks, they reach maturity.As a result of this migration through the lungs tissue,puppies occasionally contract Ascarid Pneumonia.Emergencies sometimes arise when the worms, have become so numerous that they form obstructions in the dog's system.While these are rare events,severely infected puppies nonetheless develop potbellies an chronic diarrha and appear dull

Diagnosis: can result either from spotting the long,spaghetti-like worm in the puppy's stool or vomit, or by identifying the eggs under the microscope

Treatment: 3 or 4 Treatments with prescrived medication, administered every two to three weeks, will destroy the adult worms, but the larvae are unaffected and must be treated later, when they have developed into adults

Rarely children will contract visceral larval migrans by putting their hands in their mouth after having played in the area of the dog excrement

The Ascarid larvae responsible,Toxocara, do not come from dogs directly, however, but from the contaminated soil.Without displaying any symptoms directly connected with the worms themselves,infected children may develop Pneumonia,liver disease and even blindness in severe cases.Pets and sandboxes obviously do not go together

HOOKWORMS

Hookworm infection in young puppies are quite similar to those due to Ascarids.The adult worm - in the small bowel, passes its eggs out in the stool.From 1-4 weeks later, the larvae can gain entry to the host either when the eggs are eaten or by penetrating the skin.Prenatal and postnatal infections occur in the same manner as with the Ascarids

Hookworm can be detected in the pregnant mother,but she should not be treated until after the puppies are born, since the treatment would be toxic to the fetus.Prenatal infection can result in blood loss Anemias before birth,yet diagnosis through examining the stool is impossible until the dog is approximately eleven days old

The larvae migrate through the lungs before reaching maturity in the small bowel,occasionally causing Pneumonia.In addition to competing for nutrition,Hookworms feed directly on the dog's blood, invading the lining of the Small Bowel.The irritation and damage may result in a severe Anemia,blackish diarrhea due to blood losss and occasionally shock

Diagnosis: Hookworms are rarely passed in the stool,and most diagnosis are the result of microscopic examination of the eggs.Even without this evidence,progressive weakness in a puppy and the characteristic diarrhea, should cause suspicion and treatment should be started immediately

Treatment: There are various products your vet can prescribe that are effective against adult Hookworm.In cases of severe Anemia,blood transfusions,vitamins and ohter blood-building agents may be used

WHIPWORM (TRICHURIS VULPIS)

Whipworms living in the Appendix (Cecum) and Lower Bowl may cause chronic diarrhea containing red blood

Diagnosis: The diagnosis can be confirmed by examining the eggs in the stool

Treatment: Daily administration of prescribed medication will destroy the adult Whipworm,but it must be repeated after 3 months, when the new generation of larvae have reached adulthood

PROTOZOAN

The Protozoan most commonly found in dogs are Giardi canis & coccidia.It infects the Small Bowel

Symptoms: These one-celled organisms cause a watery,mucoid diarrhea, which is plentiful

Diagnosis: Microscopic identification is necessary by a vet

Treatment: Kaopectate and bland diets may help in controlling the diarrhea.Giardia can be treated orally with prescribed medicines twice a day for 3 days,repeated after 3 more.Antibiotics are used to treat coccidia, administered over a period of twenty-one days

HEARTWORMS (DIROFILARIA IMITIS)

Heartworm infection, once thought to be confined to only certain areas,has now been identified in virtually every state of the U.S.Immature microfilaria aer taken with the blood of infected dogs by various species of mosquito.The mosquito then acts as a carrier,infecting other animals.After migrating within the body, the immature parasites reach maturity in the right side of the heart.Adult worms may range from 8-12 inches and a heavy infection can significantly slow circulation through the major blood vessels of the heart and lungs

Symptoms: Include coughing,shortness of breath,loss of apetite and weight and collapse

Diagnosis: Relies on microscopic identification of the immature parasites in a blood sample.When the disease has been identified,it is treated in the following manner

Treatment: Adult Heartworms are killed by four daily injections of medication for 2 successive days while the patient is hospitalized.The dog is then released,but must rest and be confined,to prevent running fro 6 weeks.During this period the adult worms die and are trapped by the lungs, where they decompose

Immature microfilaria are killed when at the end of the six-weeks confinement, the dog is started on oral medication.The circulating microfilaria cannot mature unless they develop within a mosquito,but they remain a source for infection.After 5-7 days of treatment,the dog's blood is checked for microfilaria.If they are still present,medication is resumed at a higher dossage

Reinfection is prevented,once the blood is found free of microfilaria by giving the god either liquid medication or pills daily.This will destroy any larvae transmitted by mosquitos.If you live in an area where Heartworms are endemic,your dog should be checked for microfilaria every six months and placed on preventive medication throughout the year.If there are definite seasonal changes, checks should be made at the end of the winter or in the early spring.The animal should receive appropriate medication from spring to early fall

FLEAS

Fleas not only cause dermatitis with their bites,but carry elaborate allergenic toxins in their saliva that increase the reaction to subsequent bites.In severely infected puppies,fleas can also cause blood-loss Anemia.They also transmit other parasites,such as tapeworms. The fleas remains on the host animal only long enough to feed and mate,speding the rest of its life cycle - from 1-6months,though they may live as long as a year - in household rugs and furniture,where its eggs are laid

Diagnosis: Fleas are diagnosed by finding either the parasites themselves on your pet, or the black peppery specks called flea dirt lodged among its hairs

Treatment: Is designed to first,rid the dog of fleas and second prevent reinfestation. Various products are available to kill the adult fleas,including collars and medallions containing organophosphates.powders and shampoos.When using these products,watch carefully to see if the animal is sensitive to them,developing skin irritations.Frequent vacuuming,sprays and professional pest controllers can be used as means of ridding the home of fleas

TICKS

Ticks infesting dogs are usually the common bush or scrub tick (also known as the dog paralysis tick) and the brown dog tick.Ticks spread diseases such as Babesiasis,a parasite-caused blood disorder, and tick paralysis

Diagnosis: Is simply a matter of finding a tick on the dog,usually in the area around the head,neck, ears and between the toes

Treatment: It should be removed by gently pulling it away from the animal.If the head breaks off and remains embedded in the animal,try to remove it with tweezers.If this fails,place hot compresses on the site 2 or 3 times daily for a few days.A slight abscess will develop and the body will reject the foreign object.Do not use any caustic substances,such as kerosene or lighter fluid, or use burning matches, these can irritate the dog's skin.To prevent your dog's getting ticks,use one of the various tick shampoos or rinses during the summer months as directed.If your house has become infested, a pest controller may be essential

TICK PARALYSIS

Symptoms: This condition usually begins with a sudden hindleg weakness and paralysis that spreads to the frontlegs, neck and finally the muscles of respiration.It is caused by the dog paralysis tick that are found in selective areas only.Careful protection of dogs in these areas is necesary to prevent tick infestation

Treatment: When paralysis occurs, the offending ticks must be removed and treatment with an intravenous injection of anit-tick serum by a vet is usually necessary

EAR MITES

Ear mites is a common parasite in young dogs, and inflame and irritate the tissues of the Ear Canal.They feed upon the secretions, caused by their own irritations

Symptoms: Dogs infected with ear mites will shake their heads and scratch at their ears frequently

Examination of the ears will usually reveal a black, waxy discharge.The tiny white mites can be extracted with a cotton bud and if there is still doubt, examined under a microscope

Treatment: A number of mite-killing preparations, if administered every other day for three weeks, will break the mite's life cycle

MANGE

(SARCOPTIC MANGE)

This is caused by a microscopic mite that burrows into the skin,causing irritation and feeds off the secretions that result

Symptoms: This cause intense itching.Young animals are most frequently infected,crusts forming around the ears,eyes,face and limbs.The heavy chafing and oozing serum often lead to the development of a secondary bacterial Pyoderma

Mites lay from 10-25 eggs, which hatch in 3 to 4 days and emerge on the skin surface as 6 legged larvae.When they mature, in about 14 days,the life cycle begins again

Diagnosis: Mange mites,larvae or eggs found on a skin scraping from the affected areas are used for diagnosis

Treatment: Applications of products such as malathon and benzyl benzoate, four to five treatments at intervals of from 7-10days are usually effective.These should be under the direction of your veterinarian.Antibiotics and corticosteriods are used to combat secondary bacterial infection and relieve itching until the mite die

DEMODECTIC MANGE

This is caused by a microscopic parasite that invades the hair follicles of almost all dogs while they are young.Young puppies may acquire demodex through contact with their mothers while they are still nursing

Symptoms: In its milder form,there are small,localized lesions around the face,ears and legs.But there is no licking. A more severe generalized form is often accompanied by secondary bacterial infections and intense itching

Diagnosis: Skin scrapings from affected areas, containing the mites and their larvae are the basis for diagnosis

Treatment: Prescribed medication should be applied daily until the lesions disappear.Dogs with the more resistant generalized form, should be treated in the same manner as those with deep skin Pyoderma (above) and given 4-5 weekly treatments with appropriate medication

FLIES

Symptoms: Flies, biting the tips of the dog's ears,cause painful crusty swelling and inflect open wounds with their larvae (maggots)

Treatment: Vaseline or specially prepared repellents applied to the ear tips, help to control the biting.Maggots can be removed by clipping away the hair and cleaning the wound with either Hydrogen Peroxide, Sapoderm or Phisohex.Antiseptic ointments should then be applied to prevent secondary infections

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