Preventative Medicine for Heartworms and Intestinal Parasites Advanced Veterinary Terminology VETE 4302 Michelle Hervey, LVT 03/01/2015

Dirofilaria immitis Life Cycle Affects L3 & L4 stage of Dirofilaria immitis Prevents L3’s from becoming L4’s Which prevents L5’s from becoming adults If no adults there are no microfilariae http://plpnemweb.ucdavis.edu/nemaplex/taxadata/Dimmitis.htm

Hosts Dogs starting at 6 weeks of age Cats starting at 6 weeks of age http://www.adogslifehatboro.com/

Clinical Signs Asymptomatic, and will be discovered on routine annual Heartworm Test. Coughing, dyspnea Exercise intolerance Hemoptysis (coughing blood) Ascites http://www.vetnext.com/images/z/73343941087%20292.jpg

Preventative Forms Preventatives come in topical, oral tablets, and oral chews. Topical for Dogs and Cats http://www.1800petmeds.com/Advantage+Multi-prod10945.html Chewable Tablets for Dogs http://www.1800petmeds.com/Trifexis-prod11190.html?AFFID=GG&ID=274237160&gclid=CjwKEAiAjsunBRCy3LSlz_PJqCgSJACJY7yKDim6Cwdi65CshR-qZKouqXUFMvk6eGxLKLmR6ObmJBoCloHw_wcB Chewable for Dogs and Cats www.1800petmeds.com Topical for Dogs and Cats http://www.1800petmeds.com/Revolution-prod10265.htm

Preventatives Advantage Multi for Dogs and Cats/Topical Revolution for Dogs and Cats/Topical Trifexis for dogs/Tablets Heartgard Plus and Heartgard/Chews http://www.1800petmeds.com/Revolution-prod10265.html http://www.1800petmeds.com/Trifexis-prod11190.html?AFFID=GG&ID=274237160&gclid=CjwKEAiAjsunBRCy3LSlz_PJqCgSJACJY7yKDim6Cwdi65CshR-qZKouqXUFMvk6eGxLKLmR6ObmJBoCloHw_wcB http://www.1800petmeds.com/Advantage+Multi-prod10945.html http://www.1800petmeds.com/search.jsp?Ns=product.salesvolume%7C1&Ntt=heartgard+plus&_requestid=339087 www.drsfostersmith.com

Diagnosis Diagnosis Positive antigen test Positive concentration test Radiographs with right ventricle enlargement, enlargement of pulmonary artery, enlarged loblar arteries, increased perivascular patters. Ultrasound with turbulent blood flow and heartworms visible in the right ventricle of the hreat. (Summers, 2007) http://www.beckeranimalhospital.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/microfilaria2.jpg http://www.heartworm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Heartworms_VD-KEY.jpg

Treatments Immiticide (only Treatment of adults) Contains Arsenic Harmful to patient Expensive to client Hard to get Given in 2 to 3 Doses http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_heartworm_treatment.html http://pointsaboutpets.com/tag/dog/

Treatments vs. Preventative Preventatives Immiticide (only Treatment of adults) Contains Arsenic Harmful to patient Expensive to client Hard to get Given in 2 to 3 Doses Preventatives are given every 30 days. Protect against heartworms, and intestinal parasites. Some preventatives are 3 in ones which protect against ectoparasites, heartworms and intestinal parasites. The monthly cost of preventative vs. the cost of treatment is inecpensive.

Intestinal Parasites Common in Dogs Common in Cats Ancylostoma caninum (Canine Hook Worm) Toxacara canis (Canine Round Worm) Toxascaris leonina (Canine and Feline Round Worm) Trichuris vulpis (Canine Whipworm) Ancylostoma tubaeforme (FelineHook worm) Ancylostoma braziliese (Southern Hook Worm) Toxocara cati (Feline Round Worm) Toxascaris leonina (Canine and Feline Round Worm)

Ancylostoma spp (Canine & Feline Hook Worm) Life Cycle Transmission Direct life cycle Hosts: Dogs and Cats Eggs in feces Molt from L1-L3 in environment Migration dependant on host Skin penetration by L3 larva Transmammary-most common route for puppies and kittens.

Clinical Signs Pale Mucus Membranes Anemia Dull hair coat Lethargy Diarrhea Melena Anorexia

Diagnosis Seen on fecal flotation Assume all puppies are infected. http://plpnemweb.ucdavis.edu/nemaplex/images/aduodenale.jpg http://www.catnmore.com/images/HookwormEgg1.jpg

Public Health Significance Cutaneous Larval Migrans People can become infected with L3 through skin penitration. L3 are in a local location causing the person severe pruritus. Rarely migrate through viscera Humans are a dead end host for the hook worm. http://o.quizlet.com/i/V89V8dPukMc02KcQwL5DBQ_m.jpg http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/images/zoonotichookworm/zoonotichookworm_lifecycle.gif

Toxacara spp and Toxascaris spp (Canine and Feline Round Worm) Life Cycle Transmission Direct Life Cycle Hosts: Dogs and Cats Eggs in feces Infective Stage L2 (highly resistant to environment) Migration dependant on transmission and age of infection. Ingestion Transplacental (Puppies) Ingestion of paratenic host with L2 in tissues (uncommon) Transmammary (uncommon)

Clinical Signs Vomiting Diarrhea Pot-bellied Dull hair coat Can have intestinal obstruction Cough Pneumonia related lung migration

Diagnosis Found on fecal flotation Assume puppies are infected http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/images/toxocariasis/home_page_image_toxocariasis.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Toxocara_canis.JPG

Public Health Significance Visceral Larval Migrans Ocular Larval Migrans Humans can be paratenic host (fecal-oral transmission) Larvae migrate through viscera to the liver, lungs, CNS. Can cause blindness Children less then 4 yrs of age are most affected because they put unclean hands infected with L2 feces in their mouth. This is also why dogs and cats should not be allowed to lick people in the face. http://outbreaknewstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Toxocara_canis_LifeCycle.gif

Public Health Significance Pictures http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Toxocara-canis-adults.jpg http://o.quizlet.com/YtxUQUS1dg.2.Xg5eePZTg_m.png

Trichuris spp. (Canine and Feline Whipworm) Life Cycle Transmission Direct Life Cycle Host: Dogs and Cats (rare in cats) Location: Large Intestine Eggs in feces Infective L3 stage NO tissue migrans Prepatent period: 3 months Fecal -Oral

Clinical Signs Mucoid diarrhea +/- Hematochezia Anemia Can be asymptomatic with low worm burdens Inflammation of cecum.

Diagnosis Found on fecal floatation. If suspected infection fecal should sit for 15 minutes because Trichuris spp. are heavy eggs and take longer to float up to the surface. http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/dxendopar/images/parasiteimages/strongyloides/trichuris_Eggs.gif

Public Health Significance No public health significance

Preventatives vs. Treatment Preventatives can be costly for animal owners and there are many available. It can be hard for owners to decide which one to go with. As veterinary professionals we can assist owners and explain the significance of preventatives. Preventatives are better for the patients and many protect against heartworms, intestinal parasite, and they often do ectoparasites as well. The owner needs to decide which preventative is easiest to give to their pet. The preventatives come in topical, oral tablets, and oral chews. These are to be given every 30 days to prevent heartworms, intestinal parasites, and ectoparasites (if labeled for them). Owners will be happier with their pets health, and do not have to worry about their pet passing intestinal parasites to themselves or their children. Heartworm prevention is so much easier then the treatments. Treatments involve giving the pet an adulticide called Immiticide. The treatments are harmful to the pets because they contain arsenic, and the cost to the owner could be thousands of dollars to treat. The pets have to be kept still and confined after treatments. Once the owner is properly informed of the pros and cons of preventative vs. treatment the owners will be happy they made the decision to use preventative. Their pets health will be better as well.

References Foreyt, W.J.,(2001).Veterinary Parasitology Reference Manual Fifth Edition. Blackwell Publishing. Ames, Iowa. Print Hendrix, C.M., Robinson, E.,(2012) Diagnostic Parasitology for Veterinary Technicians Fourth Edition. Elsevier Mosby. St. Louis, MO. Print Romich, J.A.,(2010).Fundamentals of Pharmacology for Veterinary Technicians Second Edition. Delmar. Cengage Learning. Clifton Park, NY. Print Summers, A.,(2007)Common Diseases of Companion Animals Second Edition. Mosby Elsevier. St. Louis, MO. Print Zajac, A.M., Conboy, G.A.,(2012). Veterinary Clinical Parasitology Eighth Edition. Wiley-Blackwell. Ames, Iowa. Print