Parasites Continued…

Heartworm Canines are natural hosts for heartworms Adult female produce microscopic baby worms called microfilaria that circulate in the bloodstream

Heartworm When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it sucks up the microfilaria with the blood develop and mature into “infective stage” larvae over 10-14 day when the infected mosquito bites another animal, the infective larvae are deposited onto skin and enter the new host through the mosquito’s bite wound once inside, it takes ~6 months for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms can live for 5 to 7 years in dogs and up to 2 or 3 years in cats

Heartworm

Hookworm eggs can be found in warm, moist soil where they will eventually hatch into first stage larvae Non-infectious, feed on soils; molt into L2 L2 feeds for ~7 days and molt into L3 filariform stage; infective form; extremely motile and will seek higher ground (find host)

Hookworms L3 then travel through the subcutaneous blood and lymphatic vessels of host enter the lungs, travel up trachea, host coughs and swallows L3 larvae molt into adult in small intestine Females will release eggs (9,000–10,000 eggs/day or 25,000–30,000 eggs/day) which are passed in the feces eggs will hatch in the environment

Hookworm

Roundworms Roundworms (ascarids) are large, heavy-bodied worms that grow up to six inches long Can be passed from mother to newborn or ingested (feces, infected animal)

Roundworm ascarid eggs (found in small intestine) are passed in the feces of an infected host adults develop and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal upsets