Parasites in Dogs

What is a Parasite??
A parasite is a plant or animal that lives upon or within another living organism. There are a variety of parasites that infect various organs or body systems. Parasites can be either internal or external parasites living primarily on the skin (fleas), in the respiratory tract (lungworms), or in the blood vessels and heart (heartworms). Parasites make their way to the small intestine where they spend most of their adult life and produce more than 10.000 eggs per day. While most dogs show little or no sign of infection they continue to shed worm eggs and larvae In their faeces and can quickly contaminate a large area contributing to the spread of infection. Worm eggs and larvae can survive for many months in the environment ,even in extreme conditions which is why intestinal parasites infections are so widespread.

How Parasites Are Acquired?

Ingestion of eggs. Most infections are acquired by ingestion of microscopic eggs. This occurs when a dog licks areas where other dogs have defecated, like yards, parks or grass. From intermediate host. Tapeworms are transmitted by an intermediate host when a dog swallows a flea or eats a rabbit. At birth. Many puppies are born with intestinal parasites (usually roundworms) that have been passed from the mother, where the parasite was in an encysted, quiet state

Symptoms
If your dog has intestinal worms, there are several symptoms you may notice at home, As Adult worms, eggs and larvae are expelled out of the anus, which can cause intense discomfort for your animal One of the first to appear is itching. Sitting on the floor and drag his behind across the ground to scratch it. Biting at his rear end repeatedly. Change in your dog's appearance. The worms that are expelled in the feces Blood in the stool Losing weight quickly. The belly swells because of the excess gas given off by the worms.

This is because the worms feed off the nutrients your dog takes in. When the infestation gets more severe, your dog will develop a pot belly. He may appear to be fat at first glance, but up close you can see his ribs through the fur and his hip bones will be pronounced. This gives a noticeable rounded appearance to the belly. Some worms are very large; others are as tiny as a grain of rice. One of the most alarming symptoms of intestinal parasites is blood in the stool of your pet.

Types of Parasites
Of all the parasites that infest dogs, there are six major types. 1. Hookworms -Dogs get hookworms by eating shed larvae or eggs. These eggs and larvae can remain in the grass after being expelled by an infected animal for months. Hookworms can cause severe and even fatal anemia in young animals. 2. Roundworms - tend to cause a lot of secondary infections, including bacterial pneumonia. 3. Whipworms can be hard to diagnose. They're passed on via fecal-oral transmission. 4. Tapeworms are the largest of the intestinal parasites. They can grow to 10 feet or longer. Diagnosis is made by observing the rice-like larvae in the stool. 5. Giardiasis - Giardiasis is caused due to giardia which is a one cell parasite named protozoa. It usually infects the small intestine of animals. Humans can also be infected by giardiasis by drinking contaminated water. Giardiasis in dogs usually carries no symptoms or signs of dog illnesses, and is difficult to diagnose. 6. Coccidiosis - are small protozoans that cause infection in puppies mainly due to unsanitary conditions. Pets having low immune power are more susceptible to these kinds of intestinal parasites. As puppies age, they tend to develop natural immunity against coccidiosis and suffer from no ill effects when they become adults.

Treatment
Treatments for intestinal parasites may include one or more of the following:
Routine deworming in puppies This is the ideal approach. All immature pets should treated at the first veterinary examination and regularly dewormed during the first year. In general, every dog less than one year of age should be given an anthelmintic (anti-parasite drug) for ascarids regardless of faecal results. This is in part to protect the environment from contamination with microscopic eggs that might infect children. A yearly faecal check and treatment is recommended for adult pets, especially if they are not taking heartworm preventatives that would prevent development of intestinal worms. Other treatments may include fluid therapy for debilitated pets or blood transfusion and iron supplementation (if necessary for severe blood loss as with hookworm infections).

Prevention
Several worms that infect and re-infect dogs can also infect humans, so treatment and eradication of the worms in the environment are important. Remove dog faeces from back yards at least weekly, use appropriate vermicides under veterinary supervision, and have the dog's faeces checked frequently in persistent cases. Do not mix wormers and do not use any wormer if your dog is currently taking any other medication, including heart worm preventative, without consulting the veterinarian. When walking the dog in a neighbourhood or park, remove all faeces so that the dog does not contribute to contamination of soil away from home as well. Dogs that are in generally good condition are not threatened by worm infestations and may not even show symptoms. However, it's a good idea to keep the dog as worm-free as possible so that if disease or stresses do take a toll, you're not fighting worms in a sick pet.

Life Stages Endoparasites

The life cycle of this parasite almost ensures that a puppy or a kitten will be exposed. They can get it from their mother while they are in the uterus (dogs), during nursing, and through contamination with infected faeces. Larval forms of this parasite migrate through internal organs, get coughed up and swallowed, and become mature parasites in the small intestines. Intermediate hosts like rodents can become infected by eating eggs, and can then infect a dog or cat when they are eaten. Some larvae migrate to the tissues of internal organs and remain dormant until pregnancy where they become active and infect the developing puppies in the uterus. Tapeworms are the largest of the intestinal parasites. They can grow to 10 feet or longer. Diagnosis is made by observing the rice-like larvae in the stool.

Life Stages Ectoparasites

Mites complete their entire life cycle, which incorporates incomplete metamorphosis, on the host. This is generally accomplished in 3 to 5 weeks. Mites cannot live for more than several days away from animals and are transmitted by direct body contact between sheep.