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INTERNAL PARASITES
COCCIDIA - Caused by a group of protozoan parasites. It is very common in
dogs. 30-50% of puppies carry coccidia. Signs of coccidia are: diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, failure to thrive, and
blood in the stool. A puppy coming from a breeder having coccidia is not an indication of poor breeding practices or an unclean
environment. It can be pick up almost anywhere. Coccidia is spread through ingestion of stool of infected dogs, cats, rabbits,
squirrels, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, mice and other birds. This ingestion can be as little as walking through
infect stool and then licking their paws, to put right eating of infected stool. Coccidia can be detected by the usual fecal
flotation tests that can be preformed by your vet. Coccidia can be easily treated by the use of ALBON which you can get through
your vet or through Revival. Albon prohibits the growth of coccidia that way the dogs immune system can take over and fight
the infection. It can be very dehydrating. I highly recommend a product called CORRID. This product actually kills the Coccidia
and seems to be more gentle on the dogs system than the ALBON. This is a powder solution that is put into the drinking water
of your pets to treat and prevent Coccidia. I have found this product available at Cal Ranch stores or IF A stores. It can
also be purchased through Revival. There is also a liquid form of the CORRID product. To use the powder CORRID use 1 tsp per
gallon of fresh water. 30 mls per gallon fresh water for the liquid form. For preventive use for 21 days in a row. For treatment
use for 5 days in a row.
For more information on coccidia please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
GIARDIA - are one celled organisms that live in the intestines of dogs and
cats. Infection with giardia is common but the disease is rare. Not much is know about the organism and its life cycle at
this time. A dog becomes infected by ingesting the cyst form of the the parasite. It is passed in the feces and can contaminate
a dogs food and water and his environment. Humans can also get giardia but it is unknown if a dog with giardia can infect
a human. Symptoms of giardia are usually not seen. Usually if a puppy is effected you will see diarrhea. Usually this diarrhea
will have a bad odor, be pale, and look greasy. This disease prevents the dog from absorbing nutrients properly and damages
the intestinal lining and hinders digestion. There are stool tests that can check for giardia. Giardia is usually treated
by giving PANACUR. This can be obtained through your vet or Revival. There are also a few other drugs out there that will
treat giardia. These have to be obtained through your vet.
For more information on giardia please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
HEARTWORM - Heartworm are caused by the bite of an infected mosquito. They
carry the larvae of the heartworm. The Larvae can live in the blood stream of a dog for up to 2 years. Heartworm can cause
irreversible damage to the heart by clogging the chambers of the heart and the pulmonary artery leading to low blood flow
and inevitable death. In severe cases the worms can block the vena cava that brings blood to the right side of the heart causing
the blood to back up and enlarge the liver causing serious damage.
Signs of heartworm include: decreased appetite, lost of weight and lethargy. First signs of heartworm is often
a cough. There are several blood tests that can confirm the diagnosis of heartworm.
Once again Ivermec is an effective preventitive against heartworm. Given in a shot or orally once a month.
Remember this is a preventitive and not a cure. In cases where a dog has heartworms more drastic drugs are give often containing
arsenic to kill the adult worms.
For more information on heartworm please go to http://www.peteducation.com
HOOKWORMS - are the most common internal parasites of dogs and
cats. They can cause severe disease including anemia and diarrhea. You may see pale gums, lethargy in the animal from blood
loss, black tarry stools, and dry dull coat. There are various types of hook worms. These worms can be transmitted in several
ways. Worms can bore through the skin, can be ingested, or can be passed from mother to puppies through the uterus or milk.
Treatment can be done in various forms. Liquid or paste wormers except piperazine are effective. I recommend using either
liquid or paste Pyrantel Pamoate or once again using Ivermec. There are also other over the counter wormers that you can obtain
virtually anywhere.
For more information on Hookworms please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
RINGWORM - Contrary to popular belief, ringworm is not a worm but actually
a fungus. It can infect cats, dogs and humans. Ringworm is transmitted by direct contact or with an item that is contaminated
with spores. Symptoms are very specific including a small round, hairless lesion. The lesion will have scaly skin in the center
and small pustules. This lesion can be sore and itchy. It can commonly be misdiagnosed as mange. Some cases will spread to
the face and nose and look like an autoimmune disease. Lesion left alone will heal on their own in 4 months. There are topical
anti fungal creams that can be put on the lesions to help speed the process and ease pain and itching. Anti fungal shampoos
and dips can also be used.
For more information on ringworm please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
ROUNDWORMS - are very common internal parasites infecting the digestive
system of dogs and cats. Most puppies are infested with roundworms. These worms can be transmitted in several ways also. Ingestion
of eggs, ingestion of larvae, Ingestion through mothers milk and transportation through the uterus. These worms can also inhibit
nutrient absorption and damage of the intestinal lining. Most of the time you wont see any indication of these worms unless
you see the adults in the vomit or feces. If the case is severe you may see bloating of the belly, dull dry coat, and a thin
dog. A flotation test of the feces is used for detection of roundworms. Once again Ivermec and Pyrantel Pamoate are effective
treatments. There are also other over the counter wormers that you can obtain virtually anywhere.
For more information on roundworms please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
ROUNDWORMS - are very common internal parasites infecting the digestive
system of dogs and cats. Most puppies are infested with roundworms. These worms can be transmitted in several ways also. Ingestion
of eggs, ingestion of larvae, Ingestion through mothers milk and transportation through the uterus. These worms can also inhibit
nutrient absorption and damage of the intestinal lining. Most of the time you wont see any indication of these worms unless
you see the adults in the vomit or feces. If the case is severe you may see bloating of the belly, dull dry coat, and a thin
dog. A flotation test of the feces is used for detection of roundworms. Once again Ivermec and Pyrantel Pamoate are effective
treatments. There are also other over the counter wormers that you can obtain virtually anywhere.
For more information on roundworms please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
WHIPWORMS - are very common in dogs and found throughout the
US. The adult worms have a whip like shape. The front end is very thin and the back is thicker. The eggs of this worm are
swallowed and then hatch in 3 months. The adults burrow into the lining of the cecum and intestine and feed off the blood
supply of the dog. The eggs are passed out in the feces remaining in the soil for a month to mature and then are ingested
and cause infection on the dog. If there are only a small number of worms in the intestines you will usually not see any symptoms
in the dog. In severe cases you may see Diarrhea and weight loss. Once again there are many over the counter wormers out there
you can get to treat for whipworms. I recommend Ivermec or Pyrantel Pamoate.
For more information on whipworms please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
EXTERNAL PARASITES
EAR MITES - There are several types of
mites that like the ear canals of dogs. The most common however is Otodectes cynotis. In treatment of ear mites it is not
important to know the exact species of mite. Ear mites are very contagious but are easily treated with over the counter products
that contain pyrethrin out there specifically for ear mites. Ear mites will manifest in your dog with a lot of ear scratching
and head shaking. When checking the ears you may see a lot of dried blood making the ears look very dirty. If you take a Q-tip
and take some of this out of the ears and wipe it onto a black piece of paper you will see tiny white pinhead spots running
around. These are the ear mites. If left untreated these mites can cause major damage to your dogs ear canals and ear drum
causing permanent ear damage. I recommend cleaning the hair out of the ears and then cleaning the ears and flushing them well
with an ear cleaning solution before using the mite treatment in the ears. You will find a great recipe for ear cleaner here
on my site. Ivermec, Revolution, Frontline, and Interceptor also great for treating and killing ear mites. Ears may be treated
2-4 weeks depending upon the medication used if using an in-ear mite treatment.
For more information on ear mites please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
EAR MITES - There are several types of mites that like the ear canals of
dogs. The most common however is Otodectes cynotis. In treatment of ear mites it is not important to know the exact species
of mite. Ear mites are very contagious but are easily treated with over the counter products that contain pyrethrin out there
specifically for ear mites. Ear mites will manifest in your dog with a lot of ear scratching and head shaking. When checking
the ears you may see a lot of dried blood making the ears look very dirty. If you take a Q-tip and take some of this out of
the ears and wipe it onto a black piece of paper you will see tiny white pinhead spots running around. These are the ear mites.
If left untreated these mites can cause major damage to your dogs ear canals and ear drum causing permanent ear damage. I
recommend cleaning the hair out of the ears and then cleaning the ears and flushing them well with an ear cleaning solution
before using the mite treatment in the ears. You will find a great recipe for ear cleaner here on my site. Ivermec, Revolution,
Frontline, and Interceptor also great for treating and killing ear mites. Ears may be treated 2-4 weeks depending upon the
medication used if using an in-ear mite treatment.
For more information on ear mites please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
LICE - Lice are small insects that can be seen with the naked eye
on the skin. They have no wings, are small and light colored, and are egg layers (nits). A lice's life cycle is usually 21
days in length. It is also possible to see their eggs. There are several kinds of lice. Some chew on the skin and others suck
blood. It takes direct contact with an infected animal to transfer lice. Lice are usually host species specific, meaning that
those that infect dogs are not likely to infest humans. Symptoms include: severe itching, hair loss, a scruffy and dry coat
and in sever cases anemia from blood loss. There are many effect treatments out there over the counter. These are usually
pyrethrin shampoos and or dips. Remember that just treating the dog for fleas and ticks are not going to eliminate the problem
in most cases. The home or area where the dog lives also needs to be sprayed, or bombed, or fogged for these little pests.
For more information on lice please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
MANGE - Mange is caused by tiny mites on the skin. These cannot be seen by
the naked eye. There are 2 types of Mange. Demodectic mange and Sarcoptic mange.
Demodectic mange or red mange is a skin disease usually passed on from mother to puppies through the transfer
of mites within the first weeks of life. These mites live in the hair follicles so usually the first sign of Demodectic mange
is hair loss. You may also see red lesions on the skin and a greasy look to the skin. This type of mange is considered to
be hereditary. Dogs diagnosed with Demodectic should NEVER be bred. It seems that dogs that have demodectic mange pass on
the genetic sensitivity or predisposition to mange. This disease is usually a disease of young puppies or older dogs or any
dog with a depressed immune system. This type of mange can be sometimes treated with a 5% benzoyl peroxide gel used on the
skin. Severe cases may require more drastic measures.
Scarcoptic mange is often called canine scabies. This type can infect all breeds of dogs and all ages. Dogs
do not have to come into direct contact with another dog that has Scarcoptic mange to get it. Mites can be harbored in areas
where many dogs congregate. Usually if dogs are on a correct diet, well immunized, well groomed, and spend less time with
other dogs out in public are less likely to get the disease.
I have found that it is hard to diagnose the difference between the two types of mange many times. They both
manifest in much the same way. Dogs with these diseases tend to scratch themselves to death. They will have major losses of
hair. Many times around the eyes, elbows, hocks, armpits and on the belly and ears. You may also see a build up of yellowish
crust caused by the weeping of the sores. The more the dog scratches the more these spots will become bald and red and sore.
Sometimes they will also bleed from the constant scratching. Both types of Mange can be diagnosed by a skin scraping. Both
types of mange can be treated with Ivermec. You can purchase this through IFA stores, Cal Ranch Stores, Revival (on line),
and your vet. The ivermec is posted for cattle and swine but is also used for dogs. You will want the 50 ml bottle of 1% liquid.
Some people mix the ivermec with Propylene Glycol 86%. With this mix you dilute 7:43 ml. This way you can give it orally.
It is recommended to NOT give Ivermec to Collies and Collie type dogs. For these types that are sensitive to Ivermec you might
give Interceptor. There are also topical dips that can be used on dogs with mange. I find the Ivermec to be much more effective
than the dips. There is also a product call Revolution that is also used for heartworms, tick prevention and flea prevention
that is effective in treating mange. This product is placed on the skin for once a month protection.
For more information on mange and its types please visit: http://www.peteducation.com
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