1. Internal Parasites Small Animal Care: Dogs

2. What is a Parasite? Parasite: Organisms that can live in or on another living thing. ▫Internal- On the inside of the animal ▫External- On the outside of the animal

3. Roundworms Ascarids(Toxocara canis) ▫Large worms that reach 4” to 8” in length  Look like spaghetti noodles Live in the small intestines of young dogs How do they get them? ▫A dog ingests roundworm eggs from a contaminated environment ▫A mother dog transmits larvae to her pups before birth and during nursing ▫An unsupervised dog consumes an infected small rodent Will give puppies a potbellied appearance

4. Symptoms/Treatment for Roundworms Symptoms: ▫Stunted growth, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and sometimes pneumonia. Can sometimes be seen in the feces Treatment ▫Treat puppies at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks old with dewormer  If there is a worm infestation, products such as PROWormer- 2® or Safe-Guard® Granules are effective de-worming products. All treatments essentially anesthetize the mature worms, allowing for their exit with the dog's feces. Two or three treatments are required, about 2-4 weeks apart, to rid the dog of worms as the worms mature. Some heartworm preventives include treatment for roundworms.PROWormer- 2®Safe-Guard® Granules

5. Hookworms Ancylostoma caninum is the most common species Bloodsucking parasite that is about 1” long and has a large mouth that attaches to the small intestine and digests a plug of tissue causing bleeding Transmission: Eggs/larvae ingested, from mother to puppies during nursing, can burrow through the skin.

6. Symptoms/Treatments for Hookworms Symptoms ▫Lethargy, anemia, poor appetite, and black tarry stools containing blood Treatment ▫Treatment consists of using the appropriate wormers, such as PROWormer-2® or Nemex-2. Puppies and kittens should be treated every 2 weeks for a total of 3 treatments. Certain prescription heartworm preventives such as Heartgard® Plus, Tri-Heart® Plus, Interceptor, and Revolution® will also kill hookworms.PROWormer-2®Nemex-2 Heartgard® PlusTri-Heart® PlusInterceptorRevolution®

7. Whipworms Trichuris vulpis lives in the lower digestive tract, especially the cecum. Shaped like a whip, broad at one end and narrow at the other. About 2.5” long

8. Symptoms/Treatments for Whipworms Symptoms ▫Chronic bowel inflamation, mucus in the stool, weight loss and diarrhea, dehydration Treatments ▫Common wormers effective against whipworms include Panacur®, Safe-Guard® Granules, and Interceptor®, which is also a heartworm preventive. Interceptor® and Panacur® require a prescription while Safe-Guard® does not. Immature whipworms in the cecum or intestine are somewhat resistant to dewormers. For that reason, treatments often need to be repeated for several months, until all the larvae have matured into adults.Panacur®Safe-Guard® Granules Interceptor®

9. Tapeworm Dipylidium caninum, the most common tapeworm species in dogs, is transmitted by fleas. Dogs get tapeworms by ingesting infected fleas or eating a rodent Tapeworm hooks onto the dog's intestinal wall ▫Starts to grow and adds segments to its body as it takes nutrients away from the dog

10. Symptoms/Treatment of Tapeworms Symptoms ▫flat white "grains" in the feces and around the anus area ▫Usually doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms other than the dog eating more than normal and not gaining weight. Treatment ▫Any dewormer that contains praziquantel ▫Can treat any puppy over the age of 4 weeks.

11. Coccidia small protozoans (one-celled organisms) that live in the intestinal tracts of dogs and cats. ▫Isospora canis and I. ohioensis most commons species Most common in puppies under 6 months of age. Spread by ingesting the organism or from the mother

12. Symptoms/Treatment Symptoms ▫Diarrhea, fever, weight loss and loss of appetite Treatment ▫sulfadimethoxine (Albon ® ) and trimethoprim- sulfadiazine (Tribrissen ® )sulfadimethoxine (Albon ® )trimethoprim- sulfadiazine (Tribrissen ® ) ▫Drug treatments of one to three weeks are usually required

13. Heartworms Heartworms spend their adult life in the right side of the heart and the large blood vessels connecting the heart to the lungs. Transmitted by mosquitoes Easier to prevent than treat

14. Symptoms/Treatment of Heartworms Symptoms ▫Coughing, lethargy, fatige ▫Causes heart and lung damage Treatment ▫Easier to prevent by a monthly heartworm preventative  Heartgard ® Plus, Interceptor ® Heartgard ® PlusInterceptor ® ▫Treatment is very costly and does not carry a high success rate ▫Vets test for heartworm with a blood test

15. Comparison Chart for Dewormers http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?c =3307&articleid=1086&d=155&category=589