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The
Dangers of Canine Parasites |
by:
Rose
Smith |
When you get a puppy, one of the first things
that you
need to do is make an appointment with the
vet to get
your new family member his or her vaccinations.
Along
with any recommended shots, your cuddly
canine will
probably get a dose of a de-worming formula
to rid
them of any internal parasites.
Hookworms
Some parasites can be very dangerous to
your dog,
especially to puppies. For instance, a hookworm
(about
1/8" in length) will adhere itself to the
small intestine
and begin to suck the blood from your pet.
It can cause
severe anemia, followed by circulatory collapse,
severe
diarrhea, hemorrhaging, shock and finally
death.
Puppies may receive hookworms through the
mother's
placenta during the gestation period or
through the
mother's milk when nursing. This is why
it is very
important that new puppies receive a de-worming
formula.
These parasites can also enter an adult
dog quite
easily when your pet walks over soil that
contains
any contaminated feces from other animals.
In turn,
your dog then licks his or her paws and
ingests the
hookworm larvae. Even without the paw licking
the
larvae can burrow through the skin and into
the dog.
Once inside, the larvae migrate to the small
intestine
where they grow into adult hookworms, usually
within
14 days.
A female hookworm will begin to lay eggs...
20,000 of
them per day! As you can see, it is vitally
important
to have your favorite canine de-wormed should
they
become infested with hookworms. If you see
symptoms
such as diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or
weight loss,
take your canine to the veterinarian immediately
for
diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis is usually
made
through a small stool sample. Treatment
consists of
an oral or injected medication which kills
the adult
hookworms, but not the larvae. This treatment
needs
to be repeated again in 2 to 4 weeks to
kill the larvae
that have emerged as adults. In cases of
severe anemia,
your dog may require a blood transfusion.
Roundworms
Roundworms are another common parasite most
often found
in puppies. The worms are usually heavy-bodied
and
grow to about 6" in length.
Infection usually occurs as larvae that
have lain dormant
in an adult female dog are reactivated when
the female
dog becomes pregnant. The larvae begin to
migrate through
the placenta to the liver of the fetus.
They also will
migrate to the mammary glands of the mother,
so that the
puppies can also become infected while nursing.
The time from roundworm larvae infection
to the adult
stage is about 27 days. Most roundworms
live about 4
months in the puppy and are usually expelled
by the
natural immune system of the puppy before
6 months of
age.
So, if puppies naturally expel these parasites,
how do
adult dogs end up with them? The adult dog
ingests them
by eating some food supply that contain
the larvae.
Tapeworms
Another very common worm is the tapeworm.
This worm
lives in the intestines of both dogs and
cats. The worm
is transmitted by fleas. When a dog or cat
has fleas,
they will naturally ingest the tapeworm
while grooming.
The tapeworm then makes its way to the intestine.
There are usually no noticeable symptoms
for the most
part, although sometimes your dog may show
some stomach
upsets, diarrhea or just seems somewhat
lethargic. You
can often tell if your pet has tapeworms
by finding
small, whitish worm segments that look like
small grains
of rice under the tail of your pet or on
its bedding.
Also, you dog may begin "scooting" their
rear end along
the floor because of irritation. It takes
approximately
three weeks from the time your dog ingests
the flea
until you begin to see tapeworm segments.
Although not generally harmful to an animals
health,
tapeworms are certainly something you'll
want to rid
your dog of. One of the first treatments
for tapeworms
is to begin a program of flea control treatment
program
for your pet and the immediate environment
of your house
and yard.
About the Author
Rose Smith is the author and owner of
Caring For Canines,
a web site that provides information on
natural dog health
care. Please visit us at: http://www.caringforcanines.com |
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