COMMON PARASITES OF PUPPIES
Keeping pets safe from intestinal parasites helps protect people too. Zoonoses, diseases that can be transmitted from pets or wildlife to people, or vice versa, are not uncommon. The roundworms (Toxocara species) and hookworms (Ancylostoma species) that dogs and cats frequently carry are contagious to humans under the right circumstances. These species of worms belong to the family of parasites called Helminths. A supplement to a veterinary journal, also sent as a supplement to a human medical journal, Contemporary Pediatrics, recently addressed this problem. Entitled “Protecting Children from Helminthic Zoonoses,” this 22 page monograph details how this occurs. Below we share a few key paragraphs from this scientific publication.
“The egg output of Toxocara canis adults, and thus infected puppies, is astounding. This output, along with the marked environmental resistance of T. canis eggs, accounts for the zoonotic threat posed by infected pets. Adult female T. canis can produce more than 100,000 eggs per day. Fecal egg counts in puppies can reach 100,000 eggs per gram of feces (a gram is well under 1/4 teaspoonful), so that heavily infected puppies can shed millions of eggs per day. In a Purdue University study, we examined environmental contamination by infected puppies and found that two puppies with low worm burdens still shed an average 10,983 T. canis eggs per gram of feces, for an output of 294,454 eggs per defecation. In a single week of random defecation in a yard, these puppies shed an estimated 20,545,459 eggs, contaminating a main area of 2,800 sq. feet and random parts of an area of 12,341 sq. ft. At suitable temperatures, T. canis eggs develop to infectivity in two to four or more weeks and can remain viable in the soil for several years. The eggs are very sticky and will adhere to various objects, such as toys, further ensuring their spread and eventual transmission to children and others.”
“In people, ingested eggs hatch in the small intestine. Larvae penetrate the intestinal wall and…migrate to the liver and then to the lungs. From the lungs, larvae enter the ...circulation and are distributed throughout the body, entering a variety of tissues...Pathologic changes can be extensive and involve numerous tissues, including the liver, lungs, heart, brain, and eyes.... Acute to chronic disease...is most common in young children (1 to 5 years old; the average age is 2 years) who ingest large numbers of eggs or who are repeatedly infected.”
Breeders are the people exposed to the greatest numbers of infective parasites. A breeding bitch and her puppies can put out 15 million eggs per day. In the United Kingdom, dog breeders and their employees have a significantly higher prevalence of infection than the general population. This is probably something to consider when you decide to let your dog have puppies, especially if you have small children in your household.
Wildlife, such as raccoons and skunks, stray cats and deer also shed parasites that can infect people. In addition to Helminths, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Baylisascaris tapeworms and other parasites can cause diseases in humans.
Because of reports like these, veterinary clinics are taking a more and more vigorous and pro-active approach to parasite control in pets. Checking stool samples early and often, using monthly parasite preventatives year round, and encouraging fecal examination for intestinal parasites at least annually are some of the ways you can prevent disease in your family members as in your family pets.
Don’t panic, effective parasite control measures are readily available, but be sensible.
The most important part of parasite control is to identify the enemy! Bring a stool sample with you for your puppy’s first visit to the veterinarian. Stool samples should be collected when they are fresh and stored in the refrigerator until they can be brought to the hospital. DO NOT freeze them. A teaspoon or two is all that is necessary.
If a stool sample from your puppy is found to be positive for worms, the veterinarian will pre-scribe an effective wormer. Please weigh your puppy before picking up wormer, to ensure proper dosage. Stool samples may need to be checked again 4 and 8 weeks after the final worming, to ensure that your puppy is not being re-infested by his or her environment. For prevention of internal parasites, remove fecal material from your yard regularly and dispose of it.
So that you may better understand the problems internal parasites may cause, and what signs to look for, we have included a short description of the six most common types of intestinal parasites.
ROUNDWORMS . . .
are the most common type of intestinal worm. They are 2-4 inches long and resemble strands of spaghetti. They live in the small intestine, and may cause vomiting, diarrhea or weight loss. Larval worms also damage the liver and lungs while migrating through these organs on their way to the small intestine. Roundworms are transmitted via stools of other infected dogs or cats, or through the uterus of the mother dog to her unborn pups. Entire worms can sometimes be seen in the stools or vomit of infested animals.
HOOKWORMS . . .
are half-inch long worms which attach to the lining of the small intestine, causing blood loss and diarrhea. Puppies can become infected through the mother's uterus before birth, or via her milk after birth. Older animals acquire hookworms through skin contact with the stools of other dogs or cats.
WHIPWORMS . . .
live in the large intestine. They are not as common as the other intestinal parasites but the disease they cause can be very serious. Bloody diarrhea and weight loss are the symptoms seen. These worms are transmitted by ingestion of the stools of infested animals.
TAPEWORMS . . .
live in the small intestine, where the head attaches to the intestinal wall and produces a chain of segments. Mature segments containing eggs are passed with the stool, or may be seen around the rectum. They resemble small grains of rice. They may be acquired by the ingestion of rodents or birds or, most commonly, through the ingestion of fleas. Flea control is essential to control tapeworm infestation.
COCCIDIA . . .
are one celled protozoan parasites, more like bacteria rather then “worms”. Puppies can pick these up from their mother and they can also be acquired by eating rabbit or other wildlife droppings. They are treated with antibiotics.
GIARDIA . . .
are also protozoan. They are very difficult to pick up on a regular stool check. Antibiotics or special wormers kill them but they are difficult to eradicate completely and often flare up with stress or other intestinal problems. They are contagious to humans and cause vomiting and diarrhea in both people and pets.
HEARTWORMS . . .
are a deadly parasite carried by mosquitoes. By blood testing your dog each spring and giving preventative medication throughout the mosquito season you can save your dog from needless suffering and death. Click here for more information about heartworms.
