What are the internal parasites in dogs? Dogs may die if they are not dewormed

Oct 25,2023
5Min


Ascariasis Canine Ascariasis

1. Ascariasis Canine ascariasis is a disease caused by Ascaris canis and Ascaris leonata. Canine roundworm mainly affects puppies aged 1-2 months, while lion roundworm is parasitic on dogs over 6 months old. Both types of roundworms excrete eggs through the feces of sick dogs. Under conditions of appropriate temperature and humidity, they develop into invasive eggs in 3-5 days. ​​
Symptoms: Sick dogs appear emaciated, pale mucous membranes, loss of appetite, vomiting, and delayed development. A large number of roundworm parasites can cause intestinal obstruction or blockage of the bile duct. Ascaris toxins can also cause epileptic neurological symptoms.
Diagnosis: Based on clinical symptoms, the feces can be confirmed by taking saturated salt water flotation method to check for eggs. ​​
Treatment: Use levamisole hydrochloride, 10 mg per kilogram of body weight orally, with good results.

Dirofilariasis

2. Dirofilariasis is more common. It is a filarial worm that lives in the right ventricle. It is also called heartworm. It is 25 cm long and has a white thread shape. Embryonic microfilariae are produced after mating between male and female adults in the ventricle. The larvae flow to the subcutaneous with the blood. When a mosquito or flea bites and sucks blood, they enter the insect's body to develop, and finally reach the salivary glands and mouthparts. ​​
Symptoms: Adult worms roll with the blood flow in the right ventricle, mechanically causing cardiac dysfunction or endocarditis; microfilariae can block blood vessels such as the kidney, brain, and lungs. Under normal circumstances (less than 25 adult worms) there are no obvious symptoms. In severe cases, there may be chronic cough, easy fatigue, difficulty breathing, dry cough; right heart failure, liver and spleen enlargement, ascites, edema; hematuria; skin (especially ears) outline) there are small nodules (containing microfilariae) or ulcers. ​​
Diagnosis: Add 1 ml of blood to 7% acetic acid solution or 5 ml of 1% hydrochloric acid solution, centrifuge for 2-3 minutes, take the precipitate and examine it under an objective microscope, and the diagnosis can be made if microfilariae are found. Treatment: 0.5-5 ml of bofen, intramuscularly or intravenously every day until the larvae disappear in the blood test. About 1/3 have symptoms of poisoning. Haiqunsheng 60-70 ml/kg body weight or 30% solution is injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously once for 3-5 weeks. Sodium thiarsenamide 2.2 mg/kg body weight, twice a day, slowly intravenously, for two days. Dichlorophenylarsine hydrochloride 2.5 mg/kg body weight, diluted with distilled water to a 1% solution and injected slowly intravenously, once every 4-5 days.

Trichinellosis

3. Trichinellosis Because Trichinella spiralis is widely parasitic in humans, dogs, pigs, cats, rats and other animals, and dogs have the habit of eating animal carcasses or feces, so Dogs raised in agricultural and pastoral areas have many chances of infection. ​​
Trichinella spiralis parasitizes in striated muscles, especially the diaphragm muscles and intercostal muscles with high activity. Adult worms mate in the intestines, and the larvae produced enter the thoracic duct through the mesenteric lymphatic vessels to the right heart, and then transfer to the systemic circulation through the lungs and flow to the whole body with the blood (this is the 12th to 30th day after infection). OnlyThe larvae can develop and grow only when they are embedded in the muscles. There is a cyst around them in which the worm body is curled.
Symptoms: Generally not obvious. When the infection is severe, muscle pain, difficulty swallowing, chewing, and walking may occur. ​
Prevention and treatment: The key is to pay attention to the infection process and understand the dangers of contact between humans and animals and meat-eating infections.
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