Internal Dog Parasites

The picture on the left shows a Dipylidium caninum (dog tapeworm - sometimes called a cucumber tapeworm and the picture below shows a Toxocara canis (dog roundworm).

Any dog, whether the dog appears to be clean and/or if it is from a seemingly 'well-to-do home' can get internal parasites (endoparasites).

Roundworms (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina) are rather like pale earthworms which can grow to about 10cm in length. Both ends of the worm are pointed. Signs that your dog may have roundworms are mild vomiting, having a pot-belly, having a dull coat and either sudden weight gain or sudden weight loss. A puppy might cough or hiccup. You may also see worms wrapped around the dog's stool when it has a bowel movement.

The Life Cycle of the Toxocara canis starts with the bitch eating contaminated feces. The larvae as well as remaining in the intestine, migrate to the mammary glands and the uterus. When puppies feed off the bitch , the larvae enter their system and grow into adult worms within two weeks. The adult round worms lay eggs which hatch into larvae. The larvae burrow through the gut wall to the liver and lungs, causing respiratory problems. Some lay dormant while others are coughed up and re-swallowed. These larvae pass through the stomach into the intestine, where they grow into adult worms and lay thousands more eggs. These eggs are passed out of the dog where they lay waiting for a passerby to eat the feces enabling the cycle to start over.

The Life Cycle of the Toxascaris leonina starts with the eggs being ingested and hatching in the stomach. They do not migrate, but develop in the wall of the intestine, therefore infection to a bitch's puppies does not occur. However, these worms also lay thousands of eggs which pass out of the dog in its stool, where they wait to be eaten and continue the cycle in another dog.

It is, therefore, advisable that pregnant bitches be wormed under a veterinarian's supervision. Puppies should be routinely wormed after the age of two weeks. They should also be wormed either just before or just after going to a new home. Adult dogs should be wormed every six months. However, if you have young children in your household, it is wise to worm your dog every three months.

Tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum) are flat, segmented worms that can grow up to 50cm long. They are not normally seen as a complete worm, as these remain in the dog, but as individual segments loaded with ripe eggs. One of the signs of their presence in a dog is that the abdomen may become distorted. However, the most common sign is the presence of rice-like grains around the anus. These worms can also be seen moving in the dog's feces. They can cause diarrhoea and poor growth development in puppies. They can also get into your children if they get contaminated feces or eggs on their hands and then touch their mouth.

The Life Cycle of Dipylidium caninum starts when a dog swallows a flea, which has itself swallowed an embryonic egg. The larvae develop into adult worms in the small intestine. Specific worming remedies for this type of worm are obtained from a veterinarian (vet). Also ensure that the dog is regularly checked for fleas.

Ticks (Ixodes species) are actually ectoparasites (external parasites) but they are mentioned here because they frequently infect dogs with diseases that can also be passed on to humans. They are brownish-white in colour and can be initially mistaken for a wart, but on closer inspection the legs can be seen, while the head is buried in the epidermis. Having gorged on the dog's blood, it grows to the size of a bean or pea. You may spot ticks when you are grooming the dog or when the dog has an allergic reaction to them and begins scratching. At this time they will appear as red sores. Normally a dog will tolerate one or two ticks without showing any signs of irritation, so if you live in an area where ticks are prevalent, you should check your dog for ticks every time he comes into the house from outside.

The Life Cycle of Ixodes species starts with adult ticks laying eggs that drop on the ground. Larvae hatch and climb onto blades of grass, shrubs, etc., where they wait for a passerby to brush past, thus enabling them to attach themselves onto the hair of the dog or the clothes of the owner. Surgical spirit soaked onto the tick suffocates it, thus loosening its grip. It can then be removed with tweezers. Never attempt to pull the tick off without soaking it first, as the head will remain and cause infection. Treat the bite area with antiseptic to prevent infection. A special dip/shampoo can be obtained from the vet if infestation is severe. Ticks can also be removed by covering them with Vaseline. Vaseline coverage impedes the breathing of the tick so it backs out of the epidermis. Once it backs out of the dog’s skin, it can be picked off and destroyed. You can also use this treatment if you get a tick on you while you are walking your dog in an infested area.

For further information on ticks and your dog, do a query, within this blog, on ticks as there are several entries on these dangerous parasites. The blog search field is at the top left of the blog in the blue band next to the Blogger logo.

Until next time,

Teia

Improve Your Dog's Health with Proper Grooming

You probably know the typical benefits of grooming your dog, such as removing knots and tangles in the coat. However, grooming also allows air to flow through the fur more easily, which helps the dog to cool itself during hot weather. Brushing also gives your dog's coat a nice healthy shine. However, there are many lesser known benefits to a regular grooming regime for your pet that I thought you might like to know.

It may come as a surprise to you to learn that the simple act of grooming can do much more for your pet than just improving the look of her coat. By making grooming a regular activity with your dog you'll be pleasantly surprised by the numerous health benefits that can be achieved.

Some of the many health benefits of grooming include:

1) Removing dead hair which improves the overall look of the coat as only new healthy hair is left behind. This will help prevent the dog from getting hot spots from the dead hair matted next to her skin.

2) Improving the blood flow to the follicles of each hair will improve the health of the entire coat. The lymphatic system is also stimulated by grooming, giving the same health benefits to your dog that you would get from having a massage.

3) Improving the emotional state of your pet, because of the bonding achieved whilst grooming. A gentle hand and kind voice while grooming goes a long way to building a bond with your dog and helps build trust between the two of you.

4) Having the opportunity to notice any potential health problems by becoming familiar with your dog's body. Tender areas for instance could indicate an injury of some sort which may require further investigation. It is also important to look for health dangers such as ticks which if left undetected can be deadly to your pet. It will also allow you to detect if your dog has fleas which can potentially cause all sorts of problems for you and your dog.

5) Paying attention to your dog's paws while grooming by clipping long nails and checking the pads of the feet for any sore areas that may need attention. (See previous postings on the topic of fleas).

You can find all the tools you need for effective grooming at local pet supply stores. Or, if you prefer, you can find a number of Internet locations that carry pet supplies. Just do a Google search on pet supplies or pet grooming supplies and you will have numerous sites to check out.

If you make a habit of visiting your local pet store, once you become known by the staff, you will learn all kinds of interesting things and you can frequently work out a discount for being a frequent buyer.

Most areas of the country have classes at community colleges where you can learn the correct methods of grooming your pet. Also check out dog clubs and groups where you will find other dog owners to give you some tips and advice on where to start.

If you find that you enjoy grooming and become proficient enough you may wish to start a dog grooming service in your local area. Dog grooming is in BIG demand and can be a profitable part-time/full-time business.

By putting in a little time and effort along with a few dollars for some basic grooming tools you will be greatly rewarded with a healthier, happier dog. Even if you're just starting to learn about correct grooming techniques your dog will still benefit greatly from the little time and effort involved in grooming.

Until next time,

Teia

Fleas - An Irritation at Best and Major Problem at Worst

The pictures to the left show a cat flea (enlarged for ease of viewing)and flea dirt in hair combed from a cat.

In my last entry I discussed “Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats.” I got thinking about it and decided that I needed to discuss the pests themselves, not just the effect they have on cats with an allergy to their bite. This posting covers these pests themselves. My dad remembers, when he was a child growing up on Vancouver Island, that from time to time they had an infestation of these ravenous little blood suckers. His mother would make a mixture of paste floor wax and kerosene and wax the wood floors with this mixture. Then she would wash the bedding and sprinkle flea powder on the dog and cats. That would put an end to it for several weeks and then she would have to repeat the process. I’m not sure if it is the climate there, or some other factor, but massive outbreaks of fleas still occur from time to time on the Island. During these periods, the veterinarians are overworked and so are the pest control companies. Now that you have a little history into dad's experience with these little fiends, I will get on with today’s posting.

Fleas are tiny, almost invisible, insects and something that most people never even think about, until they, or their pets, become infected. People then realize that fleas are a major problem and then they will take whatever measures are available to eliminate them.

Fleas are an irritation at best and a major problem at worst, not just to the family pets but to the family as well. The most common symptom of a flea infestation is itching. This comes from several sources. Firstly, fleas just itch when they crawl around on skin because it is very irritating. But worse than this is that fleas bite their host . . . and this can include you! They bite to feed on the blood of the host and the bite causes irritation, itching and scratching.

However, the health effects of fleas can be worse than just the associated itching. Fleas can cause and transmit a range of medical conditions in animals and humans.

Dermatitis caused by fleas is responsible for more than half of all pet skin complaints treated by veterinarians. This can result from excessive scratching or from an allergy to the flea bites, which can be caused by as little as one bite, in a particularly sensitive individual. And the dermatitis can become more serious leading in some cases to secondary infection.

Fleas can carry worms from one host to another. Cat fleas, for example can carry and transmit dog tapeworms. This is generally not a problem for people, but can certainly be a problem for pets.

And because fleas feed on blood, they can transmit diseases from one host to another whenever there are blood borne diseases. Many years ago, it was fleas, not rats, that carried the plague which decimated much of Europe. The fleas were responsible for transmitting the disease from host to host. Even today fleas can transmit the plague in some remote villages in Africa, although this does not generally occur elsewhere.

Fleas therefore, are not something to be ignored if your pet is infected. In the warm months it is particularly easy for a wandering pet to pick up fleas very quickly and it is important to be aware of this possibility.

So what do you do if your pet is scratching and appears unusually irritated? Firstly, suspect fleas and then inspect your pet.

How do you determine if there are fleas present? They can be seen on your pet if you comb through the fur. Fleas are fast moving so make sure to look closely.

Check where your animal sleeps. Pets with fleas usually infest their bedding (or yours if this is where they sleep).

Be vigilant and keep note of any places where fleas are found as these are the places which will need to be treated to remove the fleas.

And how do you find out if you have fleas in the house? You'll see or feel them. If you find a flea on your person, chances are you've probably got fleas in the house.

A simple trick for detecting fleas is to walk around any suspect areas in your house with white socks over your shoes. Then check the socks for fleas which will show up as dark brown dots on the white socks. They will probably still be alive, so don't let them jump onto you. Fleas are tremendous jumpers. Apparently they can jump 200 times their body length which means that they can jump from 20 to 30 inches.

Alternatively you can put a shallow dish of water in the suspect area on the floor. Suspend a light bulb (taking proper safety precautions) about 6 inches above the water and leave the light on at night. Try putting a few drops of dishwashing detergent in the water to break the surface tension. Fleas are attracted to the light and some will fall into the water and drown. So, if you find fleas in the water the next morning, you've got fleas!

The moral of this story - if you have fleas, don't ignore them. The problem isn't likely to go away on its own. Do something about it as soon as possible and save yourself and your pets from a miserably itchy time.

Until next time,

Teia

Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats

Fleas are by far the most common external parasites cat owners may have to deal with. Fleas are not only extremely annoying to your cat, causing discomfort and irritation, they can also cause anemia in heavily infested kittens, pass on tapeworms (Dypilidium caninum) and trigger severe allergic skin reactions in hypersensitive animals.

Feline flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) or hypersensitivity to flea saliva is on the top of the list of skin disorders seen in veterinary clinics. Cat owners are often taken by surprise when their cat is diagnosed with FAD.

"But he hasn't got any fleas!"

In allergic cats, a single fleabite can cause a hypersensitivity reaction that can persist for many days or weeks! So it's common for a cat with a flea allergy to be free of fleas at the time of examination - fleas can be long gone or there may be just one or two running around and to find them in all that fur is not an easy task!

CLINICAL SIGNS of FAD

FAD can result in a variety of skin lesions. In animals with a low degree of hypersensitivity mild skin irritation and scratching may be the only visible symptoms. Others will typically have 'miliary dermatitis', also known as feline eczema with scabs and multiple small crusty bumps (papules) with inflamed skin underneath.

These lesions are usually located at the rear end of the body, especially on the back and around the base of the tail. They can be extremely itchy and distressing for the cat. Many times hair loss can be seen with hairs typically broken off by licking. Constant licking, scratching and nibbling leads to secondary skin irritation and self-mutilation.

In some cases, a flea allergy can present as one or two raised raw, red linear or circular lesions referred to as eosinophilic plaque or granuloma.

TREATMENT

1. If your cat shows any signs of skin problems, have him checked over by your veterinarian. There are number of diseases which can have very similar clinical manifestations, for example food allergy, atopic dermatitis and some auto-immune disorders.

If the skin inflammation and self-trauma are severe, your vet may need to treat the cat with anti-inflammatory drugs (usually corticosteroids) to stop irritation and prevent further skin damage.

2. Treat your cat PLUS all in-contact pets with an insecticidal product which kills adult fleas and preferably also has a residual action (stays on the body for a longer period killing any new fleas jumping on the animal). New generation insecticides such as Frontline (fipronil), Stronghold (selamectin) and Advantage (imidacloprid) are safe, efficient and easy to apply. Older products containing pyrethroids are less suitable for cats due to their potential toxicity.

Cats with a flea allergy should be treated at regular intervals, usually once a month to prevent any new fleabites. This is especially important if your cat or any other in-contact pets have access to the outdoor environment.

3. Equally important is to treat your house. Flea products applied on pets will only kill the adult fleas, not the eggs. Eggs fall on your carpets and hatch out into new fleas if the conditions are favorable - this can take anywhere from 16 days to more than a year!

If you decide to treat your house yourself, you can purchase a product for environmental flea control from pet shops, supermarkets or veterinarians. You could also hire a professional service to do the house treatment for you. Although more costly, it saves you the hassle and the effects last longer.

NEVER use the house spray on your cat!

4. As a first aid to relieve itchy and dry skin, you can use topical remedies such as soothing Aloe Vera gel, anti-inflammatory Calendula ointment or Tea Tree oil. However, cats have a tendency to lick it off their skin almost right away. Putting a lampshade or 'Elizabethan' collar on your cat can prevent this. He may not like it but the collar will also stop him from 'chewing' and further damaging his skin.

5. Give your cat a worming treatment such as Drontal, which contains praziquantel, because it is very effective against tapeworms.

It is advisable to treat your cat with a suitable insecticidal flea product at regular intervals even if you don't see any creatures on him. In this way, you can prevent many potential problems fleas may cause.

Until next time,

Teia

Natural Health Solutions for Your Cat

In the best of all possible worlds, veterinarians would all be versed in naturopathic as well as conventional treatment modalities. However, just like human doctors, many veterinarians are trained in conventional treatment methods only. I don’t know about other countries, but in Canada, a lot of the medications used to treat animals are human medications. It has only been the last ten years or so where pharmaceutical companies have found that it is profitable enough to develop medications for animals. Here, a large percentage of medications supplied by veterinarians are human medications which present their own problems when applied to the anatomical differences between humans and animals. This is probably one of the reasons that pet owners are turning to other treatment methods for their beloved companions. Always remember that if there are any doubts about the health of your pet or about a treatment method, consult your veterinarian. If they don’t know, they have access to information sources that others do not. You should be able to discuss any pet related issue with your veterinarian, so don’t be shy about discussing natural remedies like those mentioned in this posting. If more people ask about natural remedies, veterinarians will become more familiar with them. As an issue of “Whole Dog Journal, ” stated, more veterinarians are using holistic methods in their practices because more clients are demanding alternative solutions. This posting will cover alternative treatments for cats.

Cat lovers the world over are turning more toward natural herbal remedies and nutritional supplements for common everyday health ailments affecting their feline family members.

A natural approach to your cat's health concerns is a viable adjunct to any conventional veterinarian approach. And the use of herbs and dietary supplementation can benefit your cat in many ways where a more conventional approach, with associated risks and side effects, might not.

While obviously having many anatomical differences and specific health concerns, many of the herbs that could be prescribed for a human can also be prescribed for cats and animals in general, because they are natural in their origin. Drugs, on the other hand are created in a laboratory.

Most common herbal supplements are taken as liquid or powder that can easily be added to your cat's food or water. Dosages are relatively small so usually little resistance is encountered when administering a remedy or supplement.

What follows are a few of the more common conditions that can affect your cat that are easily treated at home with natural remedies. But as I always say, if symptoms persist please see your veterinarian.

Flea allergies are a common complaint for cats. Cats with this specific allergy have a problem dealing with the saliva from the flea’s bite. A single bite from a flea can create an allergic reaction in your cat that can last for many days if not weeks.

Itching is the obvious issue here, with hair loss from scratching being a very common secondary problem. The conventional approach offers flea rinses and shampoos as well as internal medication. Sometimes in severe cases, a prescription medication is needed. As with any prescription medication, sometimes toxicity or side effects can be an issue, so ensure that your veterinarian tells you what could happen and how to best deal with it.

There is a lot that can be done naturally before things get to this point.

Topically, you can apply Tea Tree oil to the site of the problem. Make sure you use an animal strength product. Oil that is too concentrated can cause sickness and possibly death from the oil your cat may ingest while grooming.

Today there are some animal-related products that are available, so you shouldn’t have any problem getting an appropriate strength Tea Tree oil. Remember, if you are not using an animal-related product that you have to cut the amount used for your pet to account for the difference in body mass.

Internally Evening Primrose Oil (typically given in capsule form although it can be easily added to food) can be taken. Fish oil is another very useful supplement that has the added benefit of being used for years as a natural fur ball solution. Fish oil can be easily added to food.

Additionally, Aloe Vera gel can be very effective when applied to dry and scaly areas. (There is a lot of controversy at present about the effect of ingesting Aloe Vera gel, so try to work it into the skin well and then remove any excess). And as a preventive to keep the biting bugs at bay, Garlic oil works very effectively (so that your cat doesn’t notice a difference in flavor, put a little bit in each meal with an accumulated amount of one capsule per week).

With any skin problem, you need to make sure that no further irritation occurs. Make sure to use only natural shampoos and soaps or soap alternatives (Sorbelene for example). Your health food store or vet will be able to help here.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) in cats is another common health concern. You can usually spot this by your cat's reluctance to use the litter tray. Here your cat has formed an association with painful urination and the litter tray. If your cat begins to urinate in unusual places, then it may be a symptom of this condition. Contact your veterinarian who may suggest getting a urine sample for analysis to confirm the diagnosis. Since UTI is a serious problem, discuss the following natural remedies with your veterinarian and be guided by the advice you get.

There are several herbs that can be used to treat the painful inflammation and infection associated with this condition.

Couch grass is a very powerful cleansing and toning herb that is often used in UTI. It has a strong anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial action and is a remedy used for conditions such as urethritis and cystitis.

This remedy can be administered as a commercially prepared tincture or as a tea. In both cases, it can be easily added to food or water.

Alternatively you can use herbs such as Echinacea and Golden Seal that are renowned for their strong antibiotic-like action. These are quite strong herbs, so check with your veterinarian about dosage amounts.

Intestinal parasites (worms) are a common cause of digestive problems in cats. If you notice the appearance of small white seed like particles in your cat’s feces, then you can be sure your cat has tapeworms.

Roundworms also commonly occur in cats and are usually easily spotted in your cat's vomit or feces. In sufficient quantity, roundworm can obstruct the intestine to the point of being life threatening.

In both of these cases check with your veterinarian about treatment and mention the following as possible options. One natural common and effective treatment for parasites is Garlic oil. You can add the oil to cat food or you can also give fresh garlic by crushing a clove and mixing some of it into the cat food. This can be used daily although 3-4 times a week is usually enough. Make sure to check for parasites in the feces and to get back to the vet if the problem persists.

For general, non parasite based, digestive and bowel disturbances (vomiting and diarrhea for example), apparently powdered slippery elm bark is the remedy of choice. Check with your veterinarian for the amount that can safely be administered.

Slippery elm lines the bowel and has a very calming effect on the whole gastrointestinal tract. It is a very cheap, easily obtained herb, and should be in all medicine cabinets.

At the first sign of any gut problem use of slippery elm bark will show an almost instant positive result.

We have only looked briefly at a few of the health concerns for cats. Whatever health concern your cat may be experiencing, you should know that there are many potentially helpful herbal remedies and nutritional supplements that can be used without the side effects of many conventional drug medications.

Obviously this is not saying that veterinarian intervention is not needed, far from it. Strong medications and surgery are often needed to save the life of cats. Consultation with your veterinarian is always wise as these individuals have a wealth of training and knowlege that could make the difference between a positive or negative outcome.

What you need to do as a cat owner is to learn as much as you can about your animal and the possible solutions that exist for her health problems. Part of that knowledge base should be a familiarity with basic preventive measures and natural remedies that can be used to stop small problems from becoming big problems and the knowledge and understanding of what to do when these natural remedies do not work or should not be tried.

Until next time,

Teia