1. Disease & Parasite ID: Dog

2. Diseases

3. Canine Distemper Description: ▫Contagious, viral illness caused by the Morbillivirus How is it contracted?: ▫Spread through air and direct and indirect contact with infected animals and materials Symptoms: ▫High fever, reddened eyes, watery discharge from nose and eyes, lethargy, anorexia, persistent couging/vomiting/diarrhea ▫Later stages can include seizures, paralysis and hysteria Prevention: ▫Distemper vaccine

4. Canine Parvovirus Description: ▫Highly contagious, viral disease, which most severely affects the intestinal tract. ▫Attacks the white blood cells, and can damage the heart muscle and cause lifelong cardiac problems How is it contracted? ▫Spread through contact with infected animal feces Symptoms: ▫lethargy, severe vomiting, loss of appetite and bloody, foul- smelling diarrhea that can lead to life-threatening dehydration Prevention: ▫Parvovirus vaccine ▫Clean environment

5. Kennel Cough (Tracheobronchitis) Description: ▫Very highly contagious respiratory disease among dogs caused by the Bordetella bronchiseptica (parainfluenza virus) and mycoplasma bacteria How is it contracted? ▫Contact w/infected animal, typically in cogested/highly populated areas (kennels, clinics, pet stores, dog parks etc.) Symptoms: ▫Dry, hacking cough leading to vomiting/retching ▫Watery nasal discharge Prevention: ▫Bordetella vaccine ▫Limit boarding/kennel-like environment

6. Rabies Description: ▫Zoonotic viral disease of the nervous system How is it contracted? ▫Contracted through the bites/scratches of infected animals (specifically through their saliva) which carries the virus Symptoms: ▫CNS abnormalities, such as loss of coordination ▫Extreme behavior changes, such as aggression Prevention: ▫Vaccination

7. Canine Brucellosis Description: ▫Zoonotic, bacterial infection which affects the reproductive organs of both male and female dogs, caused by the Brucella canis bacteria How is it contracted ▫Spread by body fluids (both sexual fluids and urine) ▫Airborne transmission is very rare but has been reported. ▫The disease spreads quickly among dogs that are kept in closely confined areas especially during breeding times and when abortions occur. Symptoms: ▫Abortion in 3 rd trimester of pregnancy ▫Conception failures ▫Inflammation of reproductive organs and lymph nodes Prevention: ▫Avoid contact w/infected animals ▫Test before breeding ▫Routine disinfecting of facilities

8. Salmonellosis Description: ▫Zoonotic bacterial disease, caused by Salmonella bacteria How is it contracted? ▫Through contact w/salmonella bacteria  which is on the skin of reptiles and amphibians  Dirty environment Symptoms: ▫Gastroenteritis (stomach upset) ▫Fever, diarrhea, vomiting ▫Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion in dogs Prevention: ▫Wash hands after contact w/reptiles ▫Clean environment

9. Heart Disease Description: ▫Chronic, congestive heart failure caused by old age, injury, infection or genetics What causes it? ▫Non-contagious ▫Can be caused by diet and exercise factors, old age, injury or infection Symptoms: ▫Coughing ▫Difficulty breathing ▫Lack of energy ▫Pacing/hard time settling down ▫Later symptoms include swollen belly, fainting, pale to bluish gray gums and tongue, weight loss Prevention: ▫Provide proper diet and exercise

10. Cataracts Description: ▫Opacity in the lens of a dog’s eye, causing blurry vision and, if left untreated, blindness. What causes it? ▫Can develop from disease, old age and trauma to the eye, but inherited conditions are the most common cause, especially with diabetes. Symptoms: ▫Dog’s eyes look cloudy or bluish- gray ▫Disorientation/signs vision difficulty Prevention: ▫Examine dog’s eyes regularly for cloudiness ▫Do not breed dogs with a history of cataracts

11. Arthritis Description: ▫Inflammation of the joints What causes it? ▫Degeneration of the joints and synovial fluid in joints due to age or previous injury Symptoms: ▫Dog “slows down” ▫Trouble w/normal activities (jumping on couch, going up stairs, playing at the dog park etc.) ▫Limping/Stiffness Prevention: ▫Joint supplements (fish oil, glucosamine/chondroitin) – begin as early at 5 years old

12. Ringworm Description: ▫Zoonotic Fungal skin disease How is it contracted? ▫Spread through contact with infection animal or materials exposed to infected animal Symptoms: ▫Round, scaly encrusted lesions w/hair loss Prevention: ▫Clean environment and supplies

13. Blastomycosis Description: ▫systematic yeastlike fungal infection caused by the organism Blastomyces dermatitidis, commonly found in decaying wood and soil (fungus thrives in wet conditions) How is it contracted? ▫Dog inhales airborne fungal spores after contaminated soil has been disturbed from digging/following scent trail ▫Spores can also enter through skin ▫Direct exposure to pus leaking from wound Symptoms: ▫Fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, eye discharge & inflammation, difficulty breathing, skin lesions filled with pus Prevention: ▫Avoid areas where exposure is high risk (woods, swamps, lakes) ▫Avoid animals with open wounds

14. Parasites

15. Ascarids/Roundworms Description: ▫Zoonotic, internal parasites that affects dogs and cats intestinal system How is it contracted? ▫Contact w/parasite in unclean environment Symptoms/Complications: ▫Fever, headache, cough, poor appetite Prevention: ▫Deworm pets ▫Good sanitation

16. Hookworm Description: ▫Small, thin intestinal worms that attach to an anima’s small intestines How is it contracted? ▫Migration through the placenta in utero ▫Ingesting infected mother’s milk ▫Ingesting larvae in the soil ▫Direct penetration of the skin through pads of feet ▫Ingesting an intermediate host Symptoms/Complications: ▫Severe blood loss ▫Malnutrition ▫Bloody wine-dark or tar-dark diarrhea Prevention: ▫Deworm pets ▫Good sanitation

17. Whipworms Description: ▫2” to 3” long, threadlike worm that fastens to the wall of last part of the small intestine and the first part of the large intestine ▫Thicker on one end, giving them a “whip-like” appearance ▫Eggs can live in environment for 5 years How is it contracted? ▫Ingesting infected matter ▫Exposure to infected animal or materials Symptoms/Complications: ▫Dog has sense of “urgency” to go to bathroom and may strain to defecate ▫Diarrhea (can be bloody and covered in mucous) ▫Heavy infestations can lead to anemia, weight loss and lethargy Prevention: ▫Deworm pets ▫Good sanitation ▫Remove stool from yard

18. Tapeworm Description: ▫Internal worm that lives in the small intestine and can range from several inches to several feet How is it contracted? ▫Ingesting fleas or infected feces, animals or meat Symptoms/Complications: ▫May cause AHD (Alveolar Hydatid Disease) – can be fatal or produce parasitic tumors/cysts in the liver ▫White segments of worm moving on anus/rectal area of animal or on their feces ▫Anal itching Prevention: ▫Flea prevention ▫Avoid feeding uncooked meat, raw game or dead animals

19. Heartworms Description: ▫Large worms develop from larvae in the heart and major blood vessels ▫Can reach up to 12” in length ▫Live for 5-7 years ▫Dogs can have as many as 250 worms in their heart at a time ▫Can migrate to lungs How is it contracted? ▫Through bite of mosquito, infected with microfilaria (larvae) Symptoms/Complications: ▫Incubation period: Do not appear until 6 months after bite from mosquito (larvae mature) ▫Cough ▫Animal becomes easily winded ▫Loss of consciousness/passes out ▫Death Prevention: ▫Annual heartworm test ▫Heartworm preventative medication