Parasites;
Parasites such as worms, fleas and ticks can make your dog uncomfortable and even seriously ill. This page describes the most common parasites that can affect dogs. You should consult your veterinarian for the best way to prevent infestation in your dog and your home. The AKC Pet Healthcare Plan can help with the cost of providing quality healthcare, including preventive medicine, throughout your dog's life.
Internal Parasites;
Hookworms are common in puppies, though dogs of any age can be infested. Hookworms are acquired by puppies from their mother by nursing and by adult dogs by swallowing the parasite's eggs or having the hookworm burrow into the skin. Infection can be prevented by keeping your dog's environment clean. Your veterinarian can detect hookworms by examining a stool sample under a microscope.
Roundworms
are also common in puppies and can infect other dogs and children. They look like white, firm, rounded strips of spaghetti, one to three inches long. Your veterinarian will look for signs of roundworms in the stool sample. Again, keep your dog's environment clean to prevent infestation.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms will cause your dog to lose weight and have occasional diarrhea. You'll know if your dog's got them because you'll see segments of the worms around his anus or on his stool. The segments look like grains of rice.
Whip-worms
are acquired by licking or sniffing contaminated ground. They live in the dog's intestine and are only detectable in a stool sample.
Heart-worms
enter a dog's bloodstream from the bite of an infected mosquito. The worms mature in the dog's heart, growing to twelve inches in length and effectively clogging the heart - a very serious condition. Heartworm infection occurs throughout the United States but is particularly common in warm, mosquito-infested areas. Treatment is expensive and can be dangerous. Fortunately, you can keep your dog free from infestation by administering heartworm preventive pills.
External Parasites;
Fleas
Fleas are a very common problem. You will need to be diligent about flea control; if you're not, your dog can suffer hair loss, allergic reaction, and worms. You also risk infesting your house and family members as well.
If your dog has fleas, you should ask your veterinarian for the most effective way to rid them from the dog
and its bedding and environment. Effective flea prevention is also available; ask your vet for the best
method for your dog. Read more about fleas.
If your dog has fleas, you should ask your veterinarian for the most effective way to rid them from the dog
and its bedding and environment. Effective flea prevention is also available; ask your vet for the best
method for your dog. Read more about fleas.
Mosquito Bites and Your Dog
- Mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are more of a nuisance than a serious threat to dogs. The West Nile virus, an infection carried by mosquitoes, remains fairly low. Regardless of the risk, mosquitoes are a pain. They exist everywhere in the United States, except at elevations above 8,000 feet. Read more about mosquitoes.
- More than just irritating pests, mosquitoes are a primary cause of heartworm in dogs.Along with the arrival of warm and humid summer days comes an ever-present annoyance - mosquitoes. Although your dog’s fur or hair offers some protection against mosquito bites, he is still vulnerable in places where his skin is exposed, for example, his ears and nose. As with humans, a bite from a mosquito can result in everything from an annoying itch to more serious parasitic diseases. In dogs, heartworm disease is the primary concern.
- Heartworm disease. Heartworm disease is a serious parasitic condition caused by a worm, Dirofilaria immitis, which lives in the blood vessels and heart of infected pets. The disease is spread by mosquitoes. When an infected dog is bitten by a mosquito, the blood that is withdrawn can contain heartworm offspring. When the mosquito bites a second dog, the offspring are passed through. Inside the host, the heartworm can grow into a parasite up to a foot in length. The parasite can cause injury to the lungs, arteries and the heart. Symptoms include:
- Lethargy
- Coughing
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Fainting
- Exercise intolerance
These symptoms are also associated with other canine diseases so diagnosis can be difficult. Often, a blood test is required to confirm the diagnosis. Treatments are available but prevention and mosquito control are most important.
Other diseases. Top of mind these days when people think of mosquitoes, they think of West Nile Virus (WNV). Other diseases carried by mosquitoes include Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). All three of these diseases, however, are extremely rare in dogs and it unlikely you will need to concern yourself with their identification and treatment.
- Mosquito control. The likelihood of heartworm infection can be minimized by keeping your pet indoors and controlling the mosquito population in your local environment. The following preventative measures will help to minimize bites and the associated risks for both you and your pets:
- Remove sources of stagnant water around the house and garden. Mosquitoes breed and thrive in standing water.
- Change water bowls frequently.
- Avoid walking your dog in marshy places.
- Fit windows and doors of your home with screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering.
- Use insect repellants with caution. Products with DEET are not recommended for cats and dogs and many repellants with essential oils have not been tested for effectiveness or safety.
- Put your dog on a heartworm prevention program to protect him. Heartworm disease can be fatal to dogs (and cats) if left untreated.
- Keep your pets inside, especially in the early morning and early evening, when mosquitoes are most active. The less exposure your animals have to mosquitoes, the less likely they are to be bitten.
Bite treatment. Treat bites on the ears and nose with an antibacterial cream to keep them from becoming infected. See your veterinarian if the bites do not heal or appear to be getting worse.
Heartworm treatment. An important part of any heartworm prevention program is testing. Your vet will perform a blood test to rule out heartworm disease before starting him on a preventative. Treatment should always be under the direction of your veterinarian.
Both you and your dog will benefit from controlling the mosquito population around your home. For your dog, additional precaution in the form of a heartworm preventive is recommended
Lice and Mites are Microscopic
Organisms that feed on your dog's skin and cause itching, hair loss, and infection. Lice live in a dog's hair and can be killed by dipping with an insecticide effective against ticks or fleas. Various kinds of mites inhabit different areas of the dog, and the problems they cause are generally known as mange. Ear mites live in the dog's ears. Your dog may have mites if he shakes his head and scratches his ears. Scabies, which affects humans as well as dogs, is caused when mites burrow into the dog's skin and cause intense itching and hair loss. Scabies usually affects the ears, elbows, legs, and face. Demodectic mange causes hair loss around the forehead, eyes, muzzle, and forepaws. It's caused by a mite that lives in hair follicles and causes hair loss, thick, red skin, and infected areas. There is also a mite that causes "walking dandruff" on a dog's head, back, and neck. This mite also causes itchy red spots on humans. All mites should be diagnosed from a skin scraping by a veterinarian.