Caring for your dogs, cats and pocket pets                                  (519)763-9990

Spring/Summer splendor!

With the warm weather approaching (actually it was already here but left within about a week), and parasites that infect our pets becoming re-established, your team at the Victoria Road Animal Hospital want to remind you that it is that time of year to be concerned about heartworm, fleas, ticks, intestinal and other external parasites.  These parasites can be picked up from the environment, other pets or animals, and from mosquitoes, as in the case of heartworm infections.  In Guelph and the surrounding area Heartworm and tick-borne infections (Lyme, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichia diseases) have increased in the last few years.

WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN TICKS ON A FEW OF OUR CANINE PATIENTS, AND A NUMBER OF FLEA INFESTATIONS ON BOTH OF OUR CANINE AND FELINE PATIENTS ( IT'S ONLY THE END OF MARCH)!  THIS IS DUE TO US HAVING AN EXCEPTIONALLY WARM SPRING CAUSING PARASITES TO EMERGE EARLIER THAN USUAL THIS YEAR!

DUE TO THIS FACT WE RECOMMEND TESTING FOR HEARTWORM DISEASE ANY TIME AFTER APRIL 1ST AND ALSO STARTING HEARTWORM/FLEA PREVENTION ON MAY 1ST INSTEAD OF THE USUAL JUNE 1ST.  THIS MEANS THAT ADDITIONAL MONTHLY HEARTWORM/FLEA PREVENTION WILL BE NEEDED FOR YOUR PET THIS YEAR (ONCE MONTHLY STARTING MAY 1-NOVEMBER 1).

Both cats and dogs are each susceptible to parasitic infections, and few people realize that approximately 70 species of parasites can be found in both dogs and cats. A dog or cat can acquire parasites in many different ways:

• Ingestion of parasite eggs or cysts present in prey or fecal matter 
• Biting, stinging, and blood sucking insects (i.e. mosquitoes, fleas and ticks) can transmit parasites to an animal in their saliva injection prior, after, or during a feeding
• Can be transmitted through animal to animal contact
• A fetus can be infested through transplacental migration from the mother
• Young pets can be infected through their mother's milk to her baby

   

  Health problems, such as anemia, diarrhea, allergies and dermatitis, can occur in relation to parasitic infection. Furthermore, some parasites such as Giardia and roundworms are zoonotic and can therefore be transmitted from pet to human. In order to ensure that your pet doesn't succumb to parasitic infection via the routes mentioned above, consult your veterinarian for an individualized prevention protocol.

Heartworm Disease

What is Heartworm Disease?

Heartworm disease is a parasitic (Dirofiliaria immitis) infection affecting the heart and lungs of dogs, occasionally cats and other animals.  Heartworm disease is transmitted by infected mosquitoes (they become infected when they bite a heartworm infected dog, skunk, raccoon, coyote, fox, or other animal) which in turn infects other healthy dogs and cats, through biting.  The heartworm offspring (also known as microfilaria), transferred from the infected mosquito, grow and enter the blood stream within 2 months, and reach the heart within 3-4 months.  Adult heartworm reach maturity at 6-7 months and these spaghetti-like worms that live and damage the heart.  Mature heartworm start to produce offspring and the cycle begins all over again.  The adult worms cause damage to both the heart and lungs, and may ultimately result in death.

Canine Heartworm Lifecycle (Merial Canada)

Development of Heartworm Disease in a Dog (Veterinary Information Network)

What can I do to Prevent Heartworm Disease in my Dog?

With the increasing number of heartworm positive cases within southern Ontario, and the seriousness of this infection, the Victoria Road Animal Hospital recommends testing all dogs (born prior to October 1, 2011) annually for heartworm, even if they have been consistently on prevention during the summer months in previous years.  The reason for this is that if the monthly heartworm prevention was missed or given late, or vomited up, there is the chance that your pet may have been exposed to heartworm disease. We recommend heartworm testing your dog no earlier than April through to the end of May.  Puppies that were born after October 1, 2011, do not need to be tested for heartworm infection since they would have had a very low to no chance of exposure after that date.

Two common types of tests exist for diagnosing heartworm infection in dogs.  Because adult heartworms release their young (microfilaria) directly into a dog's bloodstream, a relatively simple blood filter test can identify them. A positive test tells us adult worms are present. Unfortunately, 15 to 20 percent of heartworm-positive dogs will not have "microfilaria" circulating in their bloodstream and a negative test will sometimes be falsely negative. The most accurate test for detecting heartworm infection in dogs is the antigen test. This test looks for the presence of small proteins released by adult female heartworms into the dog's bloodstream. A positive test tells us mature female worms are present. And, while false negative results are uncommon, they can occur if a pet has a "male-only" infection (since the test detects antigen from females), if only one or two worms are present, or if the female worms are immature. Your veterinarian may have reason to suspect a negative test result to be inaccurate and might recommend re-testing using other methods. Chest X-rays and ultrasound evaluation can help identify heartworm disease and may be indicated.

At the Victoria Road Animal Hospital we test for heartworm using the antigen specific test (Canine Heartworm Antigen ELISA), by taking a small amount of blood from your pet and then sending it to a veterinary laboratory to be tested (results usually take 1 week).  We also recommend doing Wellness Blood Testing (this generally includes a complete blood count and a number of biochemistry tests to ensure a healthy pet; it may also include a urinalysis, fecal analysis, and thyroid testing) at the same time as their Heartworm Testing, since we are taking blood from your pet already.  We offer a number of Wellness Blood and Heartworm Testing packages to suit your dog's needs and your budget. 

Heartworm preventives must be purchased from your veterinarian with whom you must have a doctor-client-patient relationship in order to dispense heartworm preventive medications. These medications should only be started after your dog has been tested for heartworm disease and the result negative, and should be given generally from June 1 through to November 1 inclusive in Southern Ontario. As mentioned above, due to the warm spring that we are having, we recommend starting heartworm prevention a month earlier this year (2012) - starting May 1 through to November 1 inclusive.  Giving certain preventives to dogs infected with heartworms can lead to rare but possibly severe reactions that could be harmful or even fatal to the dog.

Click on dog to see the Heartworm/Flea/Tick/Internal parasite preventive medications that we offer at the Victoria Road Animal Hospital.  Doses are based on your pet's weight, health status, age, and breed.

What can I do to Prevent Heartworm Disease in my Cat?

Heartworm disease occurs very rarely and is more difficult to detect in cats than in dogs.   Thus we recommend putting your outdoor cats on a flea preventive that also includes heartworm prevention.  For cats, the confirmation of heartworm disease is generally revealed on a post mortem, through abnormalities seen in the heart and or lungs.

Click on cat to see the Flea/Heartworm/Internal and external parasite preventive medication that we offer at the Victoria Road Animal Hospital.

Heartworm resources

Ontario Veterinary Medical Association - Heartworm Disease in Dogs

American Heartworm Society - Canine Heartworm Disease

American Heartworm Society - Feline Heartworm Disease

American Heartworm Society - Fun and games for Kids

Veterinary Information Network - Heartworm: The Parasite

Veterinary Information Network - Preventing Heartworm Infection in Dogs (Chemoprophylaxis)

Fleas

Veterinary Information Network - Fleas: Know your Enemy

Worms & Germs Blog: Plague in New Mexico Cat and Dog 

Ticks

What are ticks?

Ticks are skin or ectoparasites that feed on the blood of their hosts.  Ticks like motion, warm temperatures from body heat, and the carbon dioxide exhaled by mammals, which is why they are attracted to such hosts as dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, etc.  The bite itself is not usually painful, but the parasite can transmit diseases and cause tick paralysis, which is why tick control is so important. It takes several hours for an attached tick to transmit disease, so owners can usually prevent disease transmission to their pets by following a regular schedule to look for ticks.

 

 

Tick Life Cycle

Most types of ticks require three hosts during a two-year lifespan.  Each tick stage requires a blood meal before it can reach the next stage.  Hard ticks have four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.  Larvae and nymphs must feed before they detach and molt.  Adult female ticks can engorge, increasing their weight by more than 100 fold. After detaching, an adult female tick can lay approximately 3,000 eggs.

During the egg-laying stage, ticks lay eggs in secluded areas with dense vegetation.  The eggs hatch within two weeks.  Some species of ticks lay 100 eggs at a time, others lay 3,000 to 6,000 per batch.  Once the eggs hatch, the ticks are in the larval stage, during which time the larvae move into grass and search for their first blood meal.  At this stage, they will attach themselves for several days to their first host, usually a bird or rodent, and then fall onto the ground.  The nymph stage begins after the first blood meal is completed.  Nymphs remain inactive during winter and start moving again in spring.  Nymphs find a host, usually a rodent, pet, or human.  Nymphs are generally about the size of a freckle. After this blood meal, ticks fall off the host and move into the adult stage. Throughout the autumn, male and female adults find a host, which is again usually a rodent, pet, or human.  The adult female feeds for 8 to 12 days.  The female mates while still attached to her host.  Both ticks fall off, and the males die.  The female remains inactive through the winter and in the spring lays her eggs in a secluded place.  If adults cannot find a host animal in the fall, they can survive in leaf litter until the spring.

 

Click here for a picture of the tick's lifecycle.

 

Where are ticks found in Canada?

Different species of ticks are found in various different areas.  Generally, the highest concentrations are found in deciduous forests (wooded areas), grasslands, and overgrown pastures.  Most ticks of veterinary importance are found in areas where they have been deposited by wildlife (white-tailed deer, wild turkeys).  To limit exposure, dogs should be kept on a leash if they are walked in tick-infested areas.  Keep in mind that tick and canine vector-borne diseases are no longer limited to areas that were historically identified as tick-endemic areas.  Tick populations are increasing and moving farther north and closer to urban areas.  Many owners travel with their dogs - warmer climates in the winter months, and to lakes and forests during the summer months, exposing urban pets to heavily populated tick areas.  Generally high tick season runs from late April to mid September, however it can be shortened or lengthened by warm temperatures in their environment.

 

Below is the list of the most common species in Ontario (taken from University of Guelph - Ticks of Eastern Canada)

 

1. Groundhog Tick

The groundhog tick, Ixodes cookei (Packard) in all its stages, is the most common tick found on humans and pets in Ontario. The adults usually attack rodents and small to medium-sized animals but attacks on humans do occur. Powassan encephalitis is a disease which may be transmitted by the groundhog tick but reports of this disease are extremely rare.

 

2. American Dog Tick

The adult American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), is the second most common species encountered on humans and pets in Ontario. The preferred host of the adult tick is the dog, although it will also feed on horses and other large mammals including humans. In Canada, the American dog tick is found from Saskatchewan to the Maritime Provinces. These ticks sometimes enter buildings while attached to their hosts but they will not become established indoors. American dog ticks are known to transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and tick paralysis.

 

3. Blacklegged Tick (Formerly known as the deer tick)

The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, has established populations in Long Point on Lake Erie and in Point Pelee National Park. During its immature stages, the blacklegged tick feeds especially on white-footed mouse but will also feed on a wide variety of small mammals and birds. Adults feed mostly on white-tailed deer but may also feed on other large mammals. The blacklegged tick is the most important vector of Lyme disease and all stages of the tick will readily feed on humans.

 

4. Winter Tick

The winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus (Packard), is widely distributed in Canada. This species attacks horses, deer, cattle, elk and moose. In Ontario, it is found from Algonquin Park northward following the moose distribution. The winter tick rarely feeds on humans. This species requires only one host to complete its development. The larvae attach themselves to large mammals in the fall. They remain on the hosts until the following spring when they reach the adult stage and are ready to mate. Large infestations of these ticks on individual animals may cause the animals to weaken and die.

 

5. Brown Dog Tick

The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille), has recently become established in eastern Canada. All developmental stages of this tick feed on dogs. In temperate climates, the brown dog tick only occurs in heated buildings where dogs are kept. The feeding activity of these ticks causes blood loss and discomfort. Several canine diseases can be transmitted by these ticks including Ehrlichiosis.

 

6. Rabbit Tick

The rabbit tick, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Packard), is widely distributed in Canada. The preferred host of the tick is rabbit, although it will also attack ground-nesting birds and small mammals. Attacks on livestock or man are rare. The rabbit tick is important in maintaining Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia amongst wild animals.

 

What are some of the diseases that ticks can transmit to my dog?

There are a number of diseases that different ticks can transmit to your dog, however we will focus on the most prevalent diseases within Canada - Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. 

 

Lyme disease is transmitted by Deer (or black-legged) ticks to dogs through biting.  The Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete is the agent of Lyme disease with the Deer tick being its main carrier.  The spirochete that causes Lyme disease cannot live outside the body of a host - it must live within either a mammal or a tick.  The exact duration of tick attachment needed for pathogen transmission is unknown.  The most common signs of infection (although 90% of dogs never show any signs even if infected) include: fever, swollen joints, lameness, and long-term kidney damage or failure that occurs when the immune system is stimulated over a long time by a latent infectious organism (or other immune stimulus).  Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics if caught and treated early, with a good chance of a full recovery.  There is also a vaccine against the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete called LymeVax, please ask your veterinarian about whether or not your dog should be vaccinated.

 

 

Anaplasmosisis also transmitted by the Deer tick to dogs through biting, if the Deer tick is infected.  It often seen as a coinfection with Lyme disease.  As with Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis is generally a silent infection, with the most common signs of infection including: high fever, lack of energy, vomiting, diarrhea, and swollen, very painful joints.  Anaplasmosis can be treated with antibiotics if caught and treated early, with a good chance of a full recovery.  There is no vaccine against Anaplasmosis.

 

Ehrlichiosis is transmitted by the Brown dog tick (aka Rhipicephalus sanguineus) which carries bacteria,  bites the dog, spreading infection.   Hosts can be human, pet, or wild animals.  Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia lewinii mostly infect dogs, while Ehrlichia chaffeensis mostly infects humans. The most common signs of infection include: fever, loss of appetite, depression, painful joints, bloody nose, and pale gums.  If left untreated permanent blindness, autoimmune diseases, bleeding complications, and death can ensue.  Ehrlichiosis can be treated with antibiotics, although most antibiotics do not penetrate to the inside of cells, which is where most Ehrlichia spp. live.  There is no vaccine against the Ehrlichia spp. - tick prevention like Revolution is the best answer.

 

 

Ehrlichia are a type of bacteria that infect and live within the white blood cells of their hosts. Different types of Ehrlichia live in different types of white blood cells.  Ehrlichia are spread from host to host by tick bites and their intracellular location makes them difficult to remove as most antibiotics do not penetrate to the inside of cells.

 

 

 

 

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. RMSF is transmitted mainly through the bites of infected American dog ticks in the east and Rocky Mountain wood ticks in the west.  The disease is endemic in most parts of the United States, in particular the south eastern and south central states. Although RMSF cases have been reported in Canada, the incidence cannot be obtained since RMSF is not a national notifiable disease. RMSF is characterized by the sudden onset of moderate to high fever, which normally persists for 2-3 weeks if untreated. Other typical symptoms include headache, myalgia, and petechial rash, and early RMSF may be confused with meningitis. Serious complications such as cerebral edema and non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema may occur. The case fatality ratio can be as high as 20% to 30% for untreated patients and 3% to 4% for treated patients.

 

 

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick

Left to Right: unengorged female, 1/4 engorged, 1/2 engorged and fully engorged

 

 

Could I possibly contract these diseases from my pet?

The diseases described above CANNOT be transmitted directly from your pet to you, or your family.  However, if ticks are found in your environment, then like your dog, your family can be at risk for these diseases as well.

 

What are some of the diseases that ticks can transmit to humans?

All of the above diseases can be transmitted from ticks to humans.  Ticks can attach to and feed on humans. The skin where ticks attach to humans can become red and irritated. Both people and dogs get the diseases from ticks they come into contact with.  In 2010, Lyme disease became a nationally reportable disease in Canada (meaning medical professionals must report cases of Lyme disease to the Public Health Agency of Canada via their provincial public health system).  The risk for exposure to this disease is highest in regions where the ticks that transmit Lyme disease (Deer ticks) are known to be established - southern and southeastern Quebec, southern and eastern Ontario, southeastern Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and much of southern British Columbia (taken from the Public Health Agency of Canada: Lyme Disease Fact Sheet).

 

What should I do if I find a tick on my dog or cat?

There are many resources available on the internet that outline how to remove a tick effectively from your dog, cat, or even from a human.  At the Victoria Road Animal Hospital we recommend that if you find a tick on your pet that you bring them into the clinic to have it removed by your veterinarian.  The reason for this is two fold.  Firstly, we have appropriate tools to remove all parts of the tick (including the mouth piece, which if left in can cause an infection) and secondly, we can identify or send the tick off to the lab to be identified so that we can be aware if there is a possibility of transmission of a vector-borne disease to your pet.

 

What can I do to Prevent Tick Borne Diseases in my Dog and Cat?

With the increasing number of tick positive cases within southern Ontario and Canada, and the seriousness of tick borne diseases, the Victoria Road Animal Hospital recommends testing of dogs that have a high chance of exposure to ticks due to roaming in tick-infested areas.  Please ask your veterinarian about whether or not your dog should be tested.

To test for tick borne diseases, a larger sample of blood can be taken from your dog (when blood is collected for his/her annual heartworm test) and can be sent off to the lab for testing. 

At the Victoria Road Animal Hospital, we recommend Revolution for dogs, depending on your pet's lifestyle and chances of exposure to ticks.  Revolution prevents against heartworm disease, treats and controls against flea infestations, certain tick species infestations, roundworm, and ear and sarcoptic mange mite infestations.  It is applied to the skin once per month, and most owners appreciate having protection against a number of parasites in one convenient medication.

Click on dog to see the Heartworm/Flea/Tick/Internal parasite preventive medications that we offer at the Victoria Road Animal Hospital.  Doses are based on your pet's lifestyle, weight, health status, age, and breed.

 

Currently there is no product that protects your cat against ticks in Canada.

 

Tick resources

IDEXX Laboratories: Ticks and Mosquitoes Could they be secretly infecting your dog? (Table of canine parasitic diseases) 

IDEXX Laboratories: Ticks and Mosquitoes Could they be secretly infecting your dog? (Questions and Answers)

Public Health Agency of Canada - Ticks and Lyme Disease

Public Health Agency of Canada: Lyme Disease Fact Sheet 

 

 

 

Intestinal Parasites

Intestinal parasites are very common in both dogs and cats, and especially puppies and kittens, since egg transmission can occur transplacentally,  transmammarily, through grooming, or regurgitated meals.  In adult dogs and cats egg transmission can occur through direct ingestion of the eggs from the environment, through ingestion of a definitive (an animal harbouring a sexually mature parasite), paratenic (an animal serving as a transport for an immature parasite with no development taking place) or an intermediate host (an animal used during the immature stages of the parasite's life cycle to continue their development), like a flea, mouse, bird, snail, etc., percutaneously (internal access obtained through the skin), from grooming other infected animals, and through grooming themselves (licking paws that have stepped in infected feces or soil). For the reasons above fecal analysis is the number one most common laboratory test run in a small animal clinic.  At the Victoria Road Animal Hospital we recommend a fecal analysis for any new pet or puppy or kitten, and then yearly for adult pets.  If your pet has tested positive for an intestinal parasite then we will contact you and prepare the appropriate medication that targets that parasite.  We will also ask that you bring in another fecal sample 3-4 weeks after treatment has been finished to ensure that the medication has cleared up all parasite eggs.

 

LISTED BELOW ARE THE MOST COMMON INTESTINAL PARASITES FOUND AT THE VICTORIA ROAD ANIMAL HOSPITAL.

 

Roundworms (ZOONOTIC)

There are 3 different species of roundworm or ascarids that readily affect dogs and cats - Toxocara canis (affects dogs only), Toxacaris leonina (affects both dogs and cats), and Toxocara cati (affects cats only).  The eggs of all three species can remain infective in the soil for months to years even through the winter, and can be transmitted to humans.  Both Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati eggs can be transmitted through direct ingestion or ingestion of a paratenic host.

 

 

 

Toxocara cati life cycle

Step One: Toxocara eggs are passed in the host?s feces. If a fecal sample is tested, the eggs can be detected. The embryonic worm develops in the outdoor environment inside its microscopic egg for one month before it becomes able to infect a new host. If environmental conditions are favorable, it takes about a month for the egg to become infective but Toxocara eggs are famous for weathering harsh environmental conditions. Eggs can remain infective for months to years.

Note: Fresh feces are not infectious.

 

Step Two: The egg containing what is called a second stage larva is picked up orally by a cat or by some other animal. The egg hatches in the new host?s intestinal tract and the young worm burrows its way out of the intestinal tract to encyst in the host?s other body tissues. If the new host is a cat, the life cycle proceeds. If the new host is a member of another species, such as a rodent, the larvae wait encysted until the new host is eaten by a cat.

 

Step Three: These second stage larvae can remain encysted happily for years. If the host is a cat, though, most larvae waste no time encysting and continue their migration straight to the lungs. The majority of the incoming larvae have reached the cat's lungs by the third day after infection. Those larvae that stay behind encysted do so in the cat's liver. Once they get to the lung, they develop into third stage larvae and burrow into the small airways, ultimately traveling upward towards the host?s throat. A heavy infection can produce a serious pneumonia. When they get to the upper airways, they cause coughing. The worms are coughed up into the host?s throat where they are swallowed, thus entering the intestinal tract for the second time in their development.

If the host is a nursing mother, second stage larvae can migrate to the mammary gland instead of the lung. Kittens can thus be infected by drinking their mother?s milk. Larvae that had encyst in the liver and gone dormant will re-awaken during the host's pregnancy, continuing their migration just in time to infect the nursing kittens. In this way, a well-dewormed mother cat can still infect her kittens.

Note: When cats are dewormed, this affects only worms in the intestinal tract. It does not affect encysted larvae. It is very difficult to prevent mother-to-kitten transmission and routine deworming is not adequate.

 

Step Four: Once back in the intestine, the larvae complete their maturation and begin to mate. The first eggs are laid about one week after the fourth stage larvae have arrived in the intestine and about 4 to 5 weeks after infection has first occurred. From here the cycle repeats.

 

Toxocara canis life cycle

Step One: Toxocara eggs are passed in the host's feces. If a fecal sample is tested, the eggs can be detected. The embryonic worm develops in the outdoor environment inside its microscopic egg for one month before it becomes able to infect a new host. If environmental conditions are favorable, it takes about a month for the egg to become infective but Toxocara eggs are famous for weathering harsh environmental conditions. Eggs can remain infective for months to years.

Note: Fresh feces are not infectious. Soil contaminated with feces is infectious.

 

Step Two: The egg containing what is called a second stage larva is picked up from the dirt by a dog or by some other animal, usually in the course of normal grooming. The egg hatches in the new host's intestinal tract and the young worm burrows its way out of the intestinal tract to encyst in the host's other body tissues. If the new host is a dog, the life cycle proceeds. If the new host is a member of another species, the larvae wait encysted until the new host is eaten by a dog.

Step Three: These second stage larvae can remain encysted happily for years. If the host is a dog, the larvae mostly encyst in the host's liver. When the time comes to move on, the larvae excyst and migrate to the host's lungs where they develop into third stage larvae. They burrow into the small airways and travel upward towards the host's throat. A heavy infection can produce a serious pneumonia. When they get to the upper airways, their presence generates coughing. The worms are coughed up into the host's throat where they are swallowed, thus entering the intestinal tract for the second time in their development.

If the host is pregnant, the larvae do not migrate to the lung after they excyst; instead they home to the uterus and infect the unborn puppies. The second stage larvae make their way to the puppies' lungs to develop into third stage larvae.

If the host is a nursing mother, second stage larvae can migrate to the mammary gland instead of the lung after excysting. Puppies can be infected by drinking their mother's milk, although due to the intrauterine cycle described above, the litter would probably already be infected.  Note: When dogs are dewormed with traditional dewormers, this affects only worms in the intestinal tract. It does not affect encysted larvae. It is difficult to prevent mother to puppy transmission and routine deworming is not adequate. It is possible to prevent infection in unborn puppies by using a specific daily protocol of fenbendazole  or with the new generation products containing moxidectin (your veterinarian can provide details).

 

Step Four: Once back in the intestine, the larvae complete their maturation and begin to mate. The first eggs are laid about one week after the fourth stage larvae have arrived in the intestine and about 4 to 5 weeks after infection has first occurred. From here the cycle repeats.

 

Hookworms (ZOONOTIC)

There are 3 different species of hookworms that readily affect dogs and cats - Ancylostoma caninum (affects dogs only), Ancylostoma tubaeforme (affects cats only), and Uncinaria stenocephala (affects boths dogs and cats).  The eggs of all three species can live in cool, moist soil for several weeks, and can be transmitted to humans.  Eggs can be transmitted through direct ingestion, percutaniously,  transplacentally and transmammarily.

 

 

 

 

 

Tapeworms (only Dipylidium caninum is ZOONOTIC)

There are 3 different species of tapeworms that readily affect dogs and cats  - Taenia pisiformis (affects dogs only), Taenia taeniaeformis (affects cats only), and Dipylidium caninum or flea tapeworm (affects both dogs and cats).  Generally, tapeworms are diagnosed by owners finding and bringing in dried out tapeworm segments called proglottids (they look like grains of rice) found in the perianal area of their pet or in the bedding of their pet. 

 

Both Taenia spp. and Dipylidium caninum are transmitted through a definitive host (your dog or cat) ingesting an intermediate host, where the intermediate host differs for each.  For Taenia pisiformis, the intermediate host is either a rabbit or ruminant, for Taenia taeniaeformis, the intermediate host is a rodent, and for Dipylidium caninum, the intermediate host are fleas or biting lice.

 

Giardia (ZOONOTIC)

Giardia intestinalis (aka Giardia lamblia) is a one-celled parasitic species, that affects the intestines of both animals and humans.  In humans Giardia is a common cause of what is commonly known as "Traveller's Diarrhea" or "Beaver Fever".  There are two forms of this species, the fragile feeding form called a trophozoite exists in the gut of infected species and the hardy cystic form, is shed in feces and can survive for several months in the environment, particularly in water and damp environments. 

 

Coccidia - Isospora canis/felis  

Coccidia are single-celled organisms that infect the intestine.  They are also not visible to the naked eye. Coccidia infection causes a watery diarrhea that is sometimes bloody; it can be a life-threatening problem, especially to a young or small pet.  Oocysts (pronounced o'o-sists), like those shown above, are passed in stool. In the outside world, the oocysts begin to mature or sporulate. After they have adequately matured, they are infective to any host (dog or cat) that accidentally swallows them.  To be more precise, coccidia come from fecal-contaminated ground. They are swallowed when a pet grooms/licks the dirt off. In some cases, sporulated oocysts are swallowed by mice and then the host is infected after eating the mouse.  While there are species of coccidia that can infect people (like Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium, for example), the Isospora species of dogs and cats are not infective to people.

 

 

Merial - Brochure Protecting Your Family from Zoonotic Diseases

 

 

 

Dog: Heartworm, Flea, Tick, Intestinal and other External Parasite Prevention Options

Drug Name	Application Instructions	Prevents against Heartworm	Treats Fleas	Treats Ticks	Treats Intestinal Parasites and/or External Parasites
Revolution	Applied to skin once/month	Prevents against heartworm disease(Kills immature heartworms introduced to the dog in the last 30 days, preventing the development of adult heartworms)	Flea adulticide that treats and controls flea infestations and will continue to protect from further flea infestation for at least 4 weeks (kills adult fleas, eggs, and larvae)	Treats and controls tick infestations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (aka Brown dog tick which can transmit Ehrlichiosis) and aids in the treatment and control tick infectations of Dermacentor variabilis (aka American dog tick or wood tick)	Aids in the treatment and control of roundworm  Treats and controls ear mite and sarcoptic mange mite infestations
Advantage	Applied to skin once/month	DOES NOT	Flea adulticide that treats and controls flea infestations on dogs within 1 day of treatment and will continue to protect from further flea infestation for at least 4 weeks	DOES NOT	DOES NOT
Sentinel	Flavour tablet given orally once/month	Prevents heartworm disease	Prevents the reproduction of fleas once the flea bites a dog on Sentinel; DOES NOT KILL ADULT FLEAS	DOES NOT	Treats and controls parasitic infections due to adult hookworms, adult roundworms, and adult whipworms
Interceptor	Flavour tab tablet given orally once/month	Prevention of heartworm disease	DOES NOT	DOES NOT	Treats and controls parasitic infections due to adult hookworm, adult roundworm, and adult whipworms
Heartgard Plus	Chew given orally once/month	Prevents against heartworm disease (Kills immature heartworms introduced to the dog in the last 30 days, preventing the development of adult heartworms)	DOES NOT	DOES NOT	Treats and controls parasitic infections due to adult hookworm and adult roundworm
Capstar	Tablet given orally daily as needed for the elimination of adult fleas	DOES NOT	Flea adulticide that eliminates adult fleas when they bite a treated animal; works within 20 minutes	DOES NOT	DOES NOT

 

Cat: Heartworm, Flea, Intestinal and and other External Parasite Prevention Options

Drug Name	Application Instructions	Prevents against  Heartworm	Treats Fleas (mode of action against fleas)	Treats Ticks	Treats Intestinal Parasites and/or External Parasites
Revolution	Applied to skin once/month	Prevents against heartworm disease(Kills immature heartworms introduced to the cat in the last 30 days, preventing the development of adult heartworms)	Flea adulticide that treats and controls flea infestations and will continue to protect from further flea infestation for at least 4 weeks (kills adult fleas, eggs, and larvae)	DOES NOT	Treats and controls intestinal roundworm and hookworm infections Treats and controls ear mite infestations
Advantage	Applied to skin once/month	DOES NOT	Flea adulticide that treats and controls flea infestations on cats within 1 day of treatment and will continue to protect from further flea infestation for at least 4 weeks	DOES NOT	DOES NOT
Interceptor	Flavour tab tablet given orally once/month	Prevention of heartworm disease	DOES NOT	DOES NOT	Treats and controls parasitic infections due to adult hookworm and adult roundworm
Capstar	Tablet given orally daily as needed for the elimination of adult fleas	DOES NOT	Flea adulticide that eliminates adult fleas when they bite a treated animal; works within 20 minutes	DOES NOT	DOES NOT