A dog becomes infected with worms by ingesting invasive eggs with food, water, eating sewage, etc. Intrauterine infection is also possible, when helminth larvae penetrate through the placenta (baby place) into the fetus. The source of infection can be relatives, lake and river fish, fleas, lice eaters, and people.
Dogs infected with worms may experience convulsions, itching in the anus, diarrhea, and constipation. Animals lose weight, despite adequate feeding, and their performance decreases. Roundworms can even cause intestinal obstruction in dogs, injure internal organs, and also release toxic substances (toxins), which often leads to the death of a puppy and young dog. Puppies infected with worms are susceptible to infectious diseases.
Prevention and treatment. The main veterinary and sanitary measure for the prevention of helminths in dogs is proper hygienic feeding and maintenance. It should be noted that dogs that receive a daily complex of vitamins A, B, D, C with food are infected with helminths less often than animals that do not receive vitamins of this complex.
Immediately after purchasing a puppy, it is necessary to remove worms from it, even if the worm infestation does not appear externally. Every puppy can have worms. In the first year of a puppy's life, worm prevention is done every two months. If worms are detected in feces, I recommend drugs such as Drantal+, Aziox+ for all types of worms. It is necessary to apply exactly following the instructions, always taking into account the weight of the puppy.
Contagious diseases. Plague
Canine distemper is an acute contagious disease. All dogs suffer from plague, regardless of their breed, age and gender.
The disease is characterized by fever, conjunctivitis, catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. Characteristic rashes on the skin of a sick animal. The disease is accompanied by complications from the central nervous system, heart, lungs, kidneys and other organs. The causative agent of the disease Canine distemper is caused by a virus. The existence of viruses was first discovered in 1892 by Russian botanist D.I. Ivanovsky. The plague virus is resistant. It persists and does not lose its ability to infect when exposed to the cold in a dried state for up to nine months. At a temperature of 40-45°C, the virus dies within two weeks, and when exposed to a temperature of 100°C, it dies within one to two minutes. A 1-2% emulsion of Lysol and creolin, a 1% formaldehyde solution, and 10-20% bleach-lime milk have a detrimental effect on the plague virus.
Epizootology of the disease
Under natural conditions, minks, arctic foxes, sables, and foxes can suffer from the plague. Dogs of all ages are susceptible to plague, however, the disease most often occurs between the ages of three months and one year. Today, according to doctors, the incidence of plague has increased by 30%, mainly due to the incidence of puppies up to 1.5 months old. In order to strengthen the immunity of newborn puppies, I recommend vaccinating puppy bitches at the beginning of the second half of pregnancy and repeating two weeks later with the NOBI-VAC DHP+L vaccine without rabies. Using this method, all the bitches in the kennel have been vaccinated very successfully for more than 2 years now. No side effects were found. Age-related resistance to plague in suckling puppies is explained by passive immunity acquired through mother's milk. Puppies born from mothers who have recovered from the plague are more resistant to the disease than those born from dogs that have not had the disease. This is explained by the presence of anti-plague antibodies in the body of mothers who have recovered from the disease, which are inherited by the born puppies. The greatest susceptibility to plague infection is observed after weaning a puppy from its mother and transferring it to new conditions of keeping and feeding. Any violation of the maintenance and feeding of the puppy leads to a weakening of the animal’s body, which naturally affects its resistance infectious diseases. Eating disorders most often occur when a puppy changes teeth. Usually this physiological process goes unnoticed, but sometimes painful phenomena occur in the gums, which negatively affects the puppy’s appetite.
How does a dog become infected?
There is an opinion that the development of the disease is influenced by meteorological factors that cause hypothermia of the body. In fact, a cold only contributes to airborne infection and a more severe course of the disease. Plague does not arise from hypothermia, but from the contact of healthy, but not sufficiently immune dogs against plague, with the causative agent of this formidable infection. Symptoms and course of the disease From the moment of infection to the first manifestations of the dog’s disease, it takes from 2-4 days to 2-3 weeks. This period is called latent, or incubation. The dog seems practically healthy, but upon careful observation one may notice lethargy and loss of appetite. The course of the disease can be hyperacute, acute, subacute and abortive. The hyperacute course is manifested by a sudden onset of fever in the dog. The animal is depressed, refuses food, hides in dark corners, under furniture. The eyes fester. Limb spasms are noted. Death usually occurs on the second or third day of illness.
Acute and subacute course is characterized by a wide variety of clinical signs, depending on the state of the dog’s body’s resistance. The abortive course of the disease is more typical for adult animals. It occurs in dogs that have previously received an anti-plague vaccine, but have not developed intense immunity for any reason, and in dogs with immunity that has died down to some extent. In such animals there is a slight rise in temperature to 39.7-40°C; pronounced lethargy; lack of interest in play and treats; decreased appetite. The dog does not respond well to calls. However, upon examination, only inflammation of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract is revealed. This condition lasts two to three days, then recovery occurs, which is explained by the rapid mobilization of the body’s defenses to produce anti-plague antibodies. Plague is also divided into typical, pure, or natural, and complicated, or mixed.
When a dog contracts the plague, it becomes lethargic, gets tired easily, the coat becomes dull, loses its shine, and is disheveled. The animal refuses food and takes treats reluctantly. The temperature in the rectum is 39.8-40 "C. There is redness of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, eyes, nose. In this case, there is an outflow of serous-purulent secretion. There may be diarrhea, sometimes vomiting. This condition can last for several days, then it occurs improvement, and the animal recovers. However, very often the imaginary recovery is followed by a repeated rise in temperature with a full manifestation. clinical picture plague
Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the animal’s malaise and measure the temperature daily even after recovery. During the period of return of the disease, all the initial manifestations of the disease in the dog are sharply expressed. The temperature persistently remains at high levels of 40-41 "C. The dog is sharply depressed, complete absence loss of appetite, a mucopurulent secretion is released from the eyes, which dries out and forms crusty lumps. A sick dog hides in dark places because it suffers from photophobia. The conjunctiva becomes inflamed, and at the same time the cornea of the eye can also become inflamed, which often leads to clouding and ulceration. Plague disease leads to damage to the vital organs of the animal. Thus, the respiratory organs are often exposed to the effects of plague. Appear characteristic symptoms diseases. First of all, the nasal mucosa becomes inflamed. A serous-purulent secretion is released from the nostrils. It dries out and crusts form in the nasal passages and on the wings of the nose. The animal sneezes, scratches its nose with its paws, rubs its muzzle against objects, trying to somehow free the nasal passages from accumulated secretions. The dog's breathing is difficult, it becomes more intense with the characteristic sound of a “stuffy nose.” To facilitate breathing, the dog breathes through its mouth, while its cheeks swell.
The disease is accompanied by inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils. If treatment measures are not taken in a timely manner, the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs are involved in the process. The barking becomes hoarse and a cough appears. Rapid breathing: up to 60-80 times instead of 14-24 per minute. Plague can also affect gastrointestinal tract, the mucous membrane of the mouth turns red and swells. There is no appetite, the animal eats food poorly. Vomiting and increased thirst occur. Constipation gives way to diarrhea. During diarrhea, the stool contains a lot of mucus and an admixture of blood. There is an unpleasant putrid odor from both the animal’s mouth and feces. The stomach of a sick dog is tense; when palpated, a sharp pain is noted - the dog even groans. Very often, rashes of small blisters filled with a yellowish-greenish secretion appear on thin skin (the abdomen, inner thighs, near the mouth, eyes). The bubbles burst, the wet areas gradually dry out, and traces in the form of light spots remain on the skin. Hairline does not hold well - hair falls out in large quantities. There is a huge amount of dandruff accumulation. The animal's skin acquires a specific smell. At the same time, dryness of the nasal mucosa occurs. The crumbs of the fingers thicken and crack. In severe cases of the disease, swelling of the abdomen, limbs, and dewlap is noticeable. This is due to impaired cardiovascular activity, pulmonary failure and damage to liver and kidney function.
One of the most serious and dangerous complications are disorders of the central nervous system of a sick dog. In the occurrence of these lesions highest value has a toxic effect of the plague virus on the nervous system. In addition, the decay products of the tissue cells of the affected organism and the waste products of bacteria that multiply intensively in the diseased body have a toxic effect. Disorders of the vessels that supply the nervous system occur. Wherein nerve cells and fibers of the brain and spinal cord are directly exposed to toxic substances. There is reason to believe that the plague virus, after entering the dog’s general circulation, penetrates the spinal cord and brain, where it multiplies, accumulates and causes severe damage to the nervous system. When the central nervous system is damaged in dogs, the thermoregulation center is very often affected, which is usually expressed as a non-decreasing high temperature bodies. All complications of the central nervous system of a dog with distemper can occur at the beginning of the disease, at the height of the disease, at the end of the disease and during the recovery stage. IN in general terms we can say that with canine distemper all complications of the nervous system are early and late. They can be expressed in the form of damage to the brain (meningitis, encephalitis, meningo-encephalitis) and peripheral nerves (neuritis, polyneuritis).
Lesions of the brain and spinal cord due to distemper are observed more often in young dogs. Such animals become lethargic, begin to moan, limbs weaken, and the temperature rises. The dog's consciousness changes. She reacts sluggishly to calls, treats, toys, and does not recognize the owner or family members. Damage to the oculomotor nerves is possible, which is expressed in the “winding up” of the eyeballs so that only the whites of the eyes are visible. The optic nerves are also affected, leading to blindness. The disease may be limited to paresis and paralysis of the limbs. Muscle atrophy is noted. She becomes sluggish, her limbs become thinner. In most cases, dogs with encephalomyelitis have lesions of the sphincters, which is accompanied by retention or, less commonly, incontinence of urine and feces. Very often, encephalomyelitis also causes epileptic seizures. They are possible as in acute period diseases of dogs, and some time after the disease, are accompanied by loss of consciousness of the animal, falling, convulsions, biting the tongue, foaming from the mouth (mouth), involuntary defecation and urination. Seizures occur both during the day and at night and can last from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Moreover, some dogs are depressed after seizures, lie motionless and indifferent, while others try to run somewhere, bump into objects, fall, look for food and eat it greedily. Recovery in such cases is extremely rare, and the duration of the illness does not exceed 10-15 days.
In addition to the central nervous system, the plague also affects the peripheral nervous system. Often there are lumbosacral radiculitis, neuritis or neuralgia, polyneuritis. As a rule, the disease begins with radicular pain, gradually spreading along the nerve trunk. Lesions of the peripheral nervous system may be accompanied by twitching of individual muscle groups of the head, limbs, and torso. These twitches are called "plague tics." Tic can be debilitating, i.e. reach 50-60 twitches per minute. Diagnosis of the plague consists of finding out the well-being of the area, microdistrict, this disease, studies of clinical signs of the disease and autopsy data.
Virus-specific diagnostics is more reliable and modern. But, basically, veterinarians make a diagnosis of plague based on the clinical signs of the dog’s illness. An increased body temperature of a dog for several days with inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, discharge of purulent secretions, the appearance of a characteristic rash on the skin, diarrhea - all this indicates the possibility of the animal contracting plague. However, it is easy to confuse diseases such as diseases with the plague respiratory organs colds, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, piroplasmosis, rheumatism, helminthic diseases, gastrointestinal disorders from improperly formulated feeding rations, food poisoning, as well as poisoning by agricultural pesticides. Therefore, a correct diagnosis can only be made veterinarian.
The duration of the disease and its outcome depend on the form of the disease, timely proper treatment, as well as on the resistance of the dog’s body. Treatment of a sick dog Canine distemper is an insidious disease. Although it occurs easily at first, it is dangerous due to severe complications. Therefore, timely and qualified veterinary care. Prevention of plague Every dog owner should know that a sick animal becomes a source of infection, so a sick dog should be isolated and walked only on a leash and only in places that are rarely visited by healthy dogs.
During an outbreak of plague, the owners of one house or an entire neighborhood are required to jointly decide where to walk dogs sick with this disease. The district veterinary service authorities must disinfect these areas. When treating a dog with plague at home, it is necessary to follow all the rules of hygiene, avoiding its contact with healthy relatives. The room where the sick dog is located should be ventilated: in the cold season - two or three times a day for 10-15 minutes, and in the summer, if there are no drafts, generally keep the windows open. It is also necessary to ventilate the room during cleaning, since viruses and microbes rise into the air along with dust particles. It is recommended to do cleaning using the wet method using disinfectant solutions of chloramine, carbolic acid, creolin, Lysol, bleach, and sodium hydroxide. If the outcome of the disease is unfavorable, it is necessary to completely disinfect the apartment, and care items and equipment - leashes, harnesses, collars, muzzles, brushes - are burned.
Rabies
Rabies, like the plague, is also an infectious disease. It is widespread. It can affect all warm-blooded animals and humans. The latent period of the disease is usually 3-6 weeks, but in puppies it may not exceed 5-7 days. Sometimes the latent period is quite long and reaches one year in some adult dogs. The violent form of the disease in dogs is characterized by the following signs: the animal becomes lethargic, moves away from people, hides in dark places, reluctantly follows given commands, appetite is reduced. But sometimes a sick dog can be very intrusive, extremely affectionate, licking the owner’s hands and face. This state is replaced by anxiety, fearfulness and increased irritability. The dog begins to look around, listen, and bark for no reason. Appetite is perverted. Food is eaten reluctantly, and inedible objects, such as stones, straw, rags and others, are swallowed with great greed. A sick animal scratches or chews the bite site through which the virus entered the body. Then the dog has trouble swallowing. The dog gags, saliva is released in large quantities, the barking becomes hoarse, turning into a howl. Excitement is complemented by aggressiveness and rage. The dog attacks people and animals. Bouts of violence give way to oppression. The animal, exhausted, lies motionless, but the slightest irritation causes a new attack of violence and aggressiveness.
Gradually, the dog’s voice disappears, the animal looks exhausted, lower jaw droops due to muscle paralysis, the tongue falls out, saliva flows profusely, strabismus and clouding of the cornea are noted. The hind limbs are paralyzed, the dog moves only on its front legs, and its hindquarters drag. Gradually, paralysis covers the muscles of the forelimbs and torso. Then the activity of the respiratory apparatus and heart is paralyzed, which leads to the dog’s death. The disease lasts 3-11 days. The silent form of the disease in dogs has recently become more common. In this case, there is no excitation or it is weakly expressed. But at the beginning of the disease, dogs can also bite both people and animals. Death with this form of rabies occurs within 2-4 days.
The atypical form of the disease occurs with characteristic features gastritis and enteritis. Vomiting, bloody diarrhea, which exhausts the dog, hides the developing dangerous disease. Help needed: at the slightest suspicion of rabies, the animal is placed on a strong leash and isolated. The owner of the animal immediately notifies the nearest veterinary center of his suspicion, and if the suspicion is confirmed, he immediately contacts the Pasteur medical center. Prevention of the disease consists of annual vaccination of dogs. Diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases such as plague, enteritis, hepatitis, etc. can only be performed by a veterinarian. Therefore, if signs of illness appear (lethargy, loss of appetite or refusal to feed, change in stool, vomiting, change in temperature), the owner should immediately contact a specialist without wasting precious time and not self-medicate. To avoid the appearance of infectious diseases, vaccination is carried out starting from the age of 1.5-2 months, according to the scheme recommended by the breeder or veterinarian.
Caring for a sick dog. General care.
Animal care has a great influence on the outcome of the disease. The place for the dog should be chosen without drafts, away from the TV and other radio equipment. It is not recommended to keep a sick dog in the kitchen, since fumes from cooking, leakage of incomplete gas combustion products - all this negatively affects the treatment process. The room where the sick dog is kept must be ventilated, and it should be wet cleaned daily using a 2% chloramine solution. The dog owner must remember that the cleanliness of the premises is one of the important factors in the animal’s recovery. Particular care should be taken when sphincter activity is impaired. In such cases, the anal and genital areas must be treated with a solution of rivanol or potassium permanganate at a dilution of 1:1000.
In case of urinary retention, catheterization should be carried out once a day with a boiled catheter, pre-treated with sterile vaseline oil. After removing urine, the bladder must be irrigated with an antibiotic. To prevent bedsores from appearing, as well as to prevent them, protruding parts of the dog’s body should be wiped with alcohol (you can use vodka) or a 50% solution of potassium permanganate. The dog's bedding is cleared of toys, bones, and any leftover food.
Vitamins against diseases
There is no area in practical veterinary medicine where vitamins are not used. However, one should not think that vitamins are the only remedy for treating a particular disease. Vitamins are an integral part of the complex medical procedures prescribed to sick animals. Vitamins largely determine the overall reactivity and resistance of the body and form the response to an emerging infection. The initial period and course of the disease depend on the degree of saturation of the dog’s body with individual vitamins, which undoubtedly affects its outcome. Infectious diseases that occur in a dog with vitamin deficiency occur in conditions of reduced body resistance and, therefore, are more severe. Important role Vitamin C plays a role in treating dogs with various diseases.
There is a certain connection between the degree of saturation of an animal’s body with vitamin C and the response to the causative agent of an infectious disease. An insufficient amount of this vitamin leads to a decrease in the body’s defense response and a decrease in both the natural and acquired immunity of the animal to infectious diseases, including plague and hepatitis. Vitamin C, as already mentioned, is called the anti-infective vitamin. It neutralizes toxic waste products of various microorganisms, has a positive effect on the body of a sick dog, increasing resistance by stimulating the production of antibodies and the phagocytosis reaction. Therefore, the need for vitamin C in a sick animal increases sharply. To vitamins that affect infectious process, currently include vitamin A. By regulating the normal functioning of the epithelium of the skin and mucous membranes, it prevents the penetration of infectious agents into the dog’s body.
Vitamins B1, B2, B6, PP are also of considerable importance in the treatment of infectious diseases. Their introduction into the body of a sick dog enhances the antibacterial effect of sulfonamide drugs and antibiotics. For non-contagious skin diseases in dogs resulting from a lack of vitamins, vitamins B6, A, B3 should be used. Pantothenic acid regulates the activity of the sebaceous glands, stimulates hair growth.
Vitamins A, C, B12, B2 have a positive effect when there is an abundance of dandruff in animals. It has been noted that vitamins A, C, E and others also affect the metabolism of sulfur in the skin of animals. Sera takes an active part in biological processes, which cause hair growth. Vitamins are also active assistants in the treatment of eczema, neurodermatitis and various pustular diseases in dogs. Vitamins are widely used in the treatment of eye diseases. It has been noted that vision is negatively affected by a lack of vitamins A, B1, B2, and C in the body. Much attention attention should be paid to the use of vitamins during treatment various injuries. Domestic researchers have proven that any injury, wound process, surgical intervention increase the animal’s body’s need for vitamins, especially vitamin C. How local remedy can be successfully used in the treatment of wound surfaces in dogs oil solution vitamin A, which has an analgesic effect and stimulates growth epithelial tissue and creating a protective film over the wound surface. Vitamin K is used to stop bleeding and stimulate wound healing. If a dog has fresh, shallow wounds with bleeding granulations, then irrigating them with a 1% solution of vitamin K has a good effect. The wounds heal quickly and a durable scar is formed.
Currently, data have been obtained on the positive effect of vitamins B12 in the treatment of injuries accompanied by bone fractures. Vitamin B12 helps restore the functional state of injured nerves, bone tissue and the healing of wound surfaces of the skin and muscles, accelerates the formation of new blood vessels and young muscle cells after injury to the dog's skeletal muscles. Vitamins A and D also have a positive effect on the formation of callus in the event of a bone fracture. It has been clinically proven that in dogs with vitamin C deficiency, fractures did not heal, and healing ended with the formation of a false joint. With D-vitaminosis, the formation of bone callus was slow, with B-beri, polyneuritis was associated, and bone fusion was slow. However, vitamins are not harmless; when the body is oversaturated, like everything biologically active substances, they can provide harmful effects. Poisoning of dogs with large amounts of vitamins is called hypervitaminosis.
Hypervitaminosis can be acute, when the owner fed the dog a large portion of vitamins at once, and chronic, when the dog receives increased doses of vitamins for a long time. For example, in an effort to prevent rickets in puppies, owners generously treat them with vitamin D. As a result of exceeding the dose of vitamin, irreversible processes occur in animals’ tissues and organs, the calcium content in the blood increases, which leads to the deposition of mineral salts in the tissues of the heart, lungs, and kidneys. , in the wall of the stomach. The animal's nervous system also suffers. The puppies become lethargic, lie around a lot, don’t play, and don’t eat food well. Vomiting and diarrhea are often observed, the temperature often rises, the skin becomes dry, and peeling is possible. In white dogs, the skin turns yellow-gray.
When there is an excess of vitamin A in a dog’s body, so-called A-hypervitaminosis occurs. Experiments have shown that administering large doses of vitamin A to animals of various breeds has a toxic effect: dogs develop weight loss, dry corneas, loss of appetite, skin a rash appears, which is often mistaken for the onset of plague, cracks appear on the mucous membranes, and the coat becomes less dense. Hypervitaminosis causes vitamin C deficiency in the dog's body, which is expressed in redness of the gums near the teeth and their inflammation. When feeding large doses of B vitamins to dogs of any breed, the animals experience various allergic reactions.
Recently, pharmacologists have not recommended that veterinary practitioners administer solutions of vitamins B12, B1, and B6 in one syringe. As it turned out, the cobalt ion contained in the cyanocoblamine molecule contributes to the destruction of two other vitamins. There is also evidence that feeding pregnant bitches large doses of vitamin C leads to toxicosis, which has a negative effect on the offspring.
Many dog breeders often encounter this unpleasant illness their pets, like helminthiasis. This disease is caused by all types helminthic infestations that enter the animal's body.
Both adults and small puppies are equally susceptible to infection with worms. And if, for a mature dog, as a rule, everything is limited to deworming, then for a puppy the consequences of the disease can be tragic. That is why It is very important to detect worms in time and carry out their destruction.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely rid your four-legged friend of them.. All rehabilitation and preventive measures are aimed only at maximally reducing the number of worms in the dog’s body. But such measures are simply necessary to maintain the dog’s normal health and development.
Are worms in dogs transmitted to humans?
Some types of worms can easily be transmitted from a sick animal to humans, especially children. Therefore, after each interaction with your pet, you should take hygienic measures. And deworm the animal itself at least twice a year.
There are several ways of infection with helminthiasis:
- The first and most common is through external sources containing helminth eggs: feces, food, various objects, water from puddles and reservoirs, raw fish, etc. Mostly, infection occurs during the traditional daily walking of the dog. Therefore, it is very important at such moments to try to limit her contact with potentially dangerous things as much as possible.
- The second method of infection is direct contact between a dog and a sick animal or through intermediate hosts, fleas and ticks.
Symptoms and signs of worms
Unfortunately, helminths often may not manifest themselves in any way for a period of time. long period or, conversely, masquerade as some diseases that have similar manifestations to helminthiasis. All this greatly aggravates the situation with the identification and treatment of the disease.
Due to this periodic counseling should be carried out and have your pet examined by a veterinarian.
However, in some cases it is possible to determine helminths yourself. To do this, you just need to carefully observe your own animal.
What should it be ? Every dog owner should know this!
Be sure to enteritis- a disease that, if not treated promptly, leads to the death of the pet.
What can an owner who is worried about the condition of his pet do? suffering? Learn more about the treatment and prevention of diarrhea.
What are the types of helminths?
Each of these types of helminths causes a certain type of disease that can become chronic, completely depleting the body. In addition, nematodes and whipworms are easily transmitted to humans.
Intestinal
Intestinal worms are the most common. As a rule, they are represented by tapeworms, roundworms, whipworms and hookworms, which enter the dog’s body through external sources. Ascariasis (toxocariasis), uncinariasis, hookworm disease, toxascariasis, hookworm disease, echinococcosis - this is a small list of the ailments they cause.
It’s hard to even imagine the insidiousness of helminths. For example, there are types of worms that are capable of calmly migrating throughout the host’s body and settling in the most favorable places for their “reign.” Prominent representatives of this type of helminths are roundworms and esophageal worms. They are the ones who most readily settle in the dog’s food system and lungs.
In this case, the animal suddenly begins lose weight, develop a cough, difficulty breathing and develop pneumonia, causing internal bleeding.
Unfortunately, without laboratory research and the help of a veterinarian, it is almost impossible to detect lungworms on your own.
Heartfelt
Another, no less serious disease is dirofilariasis (cardionematodes) or heartworms, which settle in the arteries, atrium, right ventricle of the heart and heart vessels of the animal. The main carriers of heartworm larvae are mosquitoes, fleas and other types of blood-sucking insects. The incubation period of the disease can last up to six months after the bite.
The main clinical signs of dog body intoxication syndrome are expressed in shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, pulmonary wheezing and noise, general exhaustion and apathy, nervous system disorders, drowsiness and fatigue.
Treatment should be carried out on time, taking into account the individual clinical condition of the dog, since cardiac nematodes often lead to the sudden death of the animal due to heart rupture.
Before deciding on the choice of anthelmintic drugs, the range of which is simply enormous today, you should first consult with a veterinarian and conduct an appropriate examination of the dog to identify them. After all, the choice of means largely depends on the age, physiological characteristics and habitat of the animal.
Deworming tablets
Unfortunately, there are no universal drugs that can completely remove all types of helminths with a single dose. Therefore, the best option would be a broad-spectrum medicine. These are, as a rule, produced in the form of tablets Drontal Plus, Azinox Plus, Vermox and Drontsit.
Deworming of the dog is carried out repeatedly at short intervals.
Modern drugs are capable of partially or completely breaking down helminths in the animal’s body itself, so it is not possible to see the result of anthelmintics. The main thing is to carefully monitor your pet during deworming and, if necessary, help him cleanse himself (enema, laxative, etc.).
It is preferable to give anthelmintic medicine to an animal in the morning during meals. For adult dogs, the tablet is wrapped in some kind of treat - meat, sausage - and fed, and if they refuse to take the medicine, they place it deep on the root of the animal's tongue, while squeezing the jaw with the palms and lifting it up. For puppies, the tablet is crushed to a powder, diluted with water and poured into the mouth with a syringe (without a needle).
If suddenly, immediately after taking the anthelmintic drug, the dog becomes ill, the first thing you should do is give the four-legged dog some kind of absorbent (enterosgel) and urgently consult a doctor. Further deworming is carried out under the strict supervision of a specialist.
Prevention
It is known that best treatment any disease is its prevention! Therefore, to prevent infestation optimal deworming adult dog once every three months. However, we should not forget that all anthelmintic drugs are, in fact, toxic poisons. Therefore, when deworming, you should always be extremely careful and careful.
Small puppies can be wormed as early as 12-14 days of life.. There are special “children’s” preparations for them, mainly in the form of suspensions, for example “Prasicide” or “Drontal plus for puppies”. Also mandatory after any deworming is vaccination of the animal, which consolidates the results of treatment.
As you can see, helminthiasis is a serious and dangerous disease. And in order to four-legged friend brought joy for as long as possible, it is necessary to show special care and attention to his health.
Dumb animals cannot complain of illness and name the symptoms of the disease. But an attentive owner immediately notices that the pet is unwell.
Apathy, dry nose, shortness of breath, diarrhea or vomiting are visible signs of the disease. This means you should contact a veterinarian. Dog diseases and their signs in detailed review Further.
Timely diagnosis is the beginning of successful treatment. All dog diseases are divided into:
Attention! Some of the diseases in dogs can be dangerous to humans.
Dog diseases and their signs and treatment
Among the huge variety of ailments to which a four-legged pet may be susceptible, we can distinguish two main groups:
- dangerous to humans;
- frequently occurring.
Contagious diseases dangerous to humans
What diseases can you get from a dog? These are invasive and infectious diseases, their source most often is stray animals.
Infections pose a threat:
- . The pathogen, entering the human blood after being bitten by a sick animal through saliva that gets into the wound, causes severe damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, including the brain.
- . The incubation period lasts from 2 weeks to 3 months, the 2nd, manic stage - 2-4 days, death occurs in severe pain, but with a clear consciousness. In case of suspicious contact, immediately contact the clinic - after the incubation period has expired, rabies cannot be treated. The best method of prevention is animal vaccination.
- Infection with microscopic fungi.
They are highly resistant to thermal and disinfecting effects and last a long time in the external environment. Small, hairless, round spots appear on the skin, most often on the head and neck, covered with gray scales. In advanced cases, the spots spread over large areas throughout the body. Prevention consists of timely isolation and treatment, avoiding contact with sick animals, disinfection of care items and premises. Severed crusts and hair should be burned.(infectious jaundice). Dogs and people can become infected after eating uncooked meat or swimming in contaminated bodies of water. Symptoms are fever, hemorrhagic enteritis, jaundice, nervous disorders, rapid weight loss, bleeding areas in the mouth with a putrid odor.
Attention! When cured, paresis, chronic nephritis and digestive disorders may remain forever.
Important!
The best prevention– hygiene and destruction of rodents, which can be lifelong carriers of leptospirosis. To avoid infection, do not feed your pet raw meat products without a veterinary examination. Most Frequent
They are highly resistant to thermal and disinfecting effects and last a long time in the external environment. Small, hairless, round spots appear on the skin, most often on the head and neck, covered with gray scales. In advanced cases, the spots spread over large areas throughout the body. Prevention consists of timely isolation and treatment, avoiding contact with sick animals, disinfection of care items and premises. These diseases require a quick response.
They are the most common, difficult to treat and in case of vaccination, you will not need to suffer and lament what was not done, seeing the suffering of your pet
If your four-legged friend loses fur
Hair loss in a dog: description of the disease, treatment depends on the causes of this phenomenon, There are two main ones:
- hormonal disorders;
- skin pathologies.
Hormonal disorders there are the following:
- excess of the hormone cortisol ();
- excess or lack of estrogen;
- lack of thyroid hormones.
Hair loss in dogs may be a consequence:
We hope that after reading this article, you will be more attentive to your pet. After all, he who is forewarned is forearmed. Remember: understanding the problem and timely pre-medical care can save his life.
Additionally, watch a short video about dog diseases and their symptoms:
The newbie owners are also not delighted with this prospect and try hard not to “let the enemy into their territory,” but at the same time they have a very vague idea of how this very “enemy” can camouflage itself. Although, what is there to think about! He gave me a pill for prevention, sprayed it with a special spray and you can sleep peacefully. Even in a hug with a baby. But is it really that simple? Are all these methods really effective, and most importantly, safe for minis? – We will try to answer these and many other questions in this article.
It is not much more difficult to detect a tick on a person under your care. To do this, just carefully examine and feel his skin. All strange bumps and pimples fall under suspicion. Especially those that definitely weren’t there yesterday. In addition, the baby will probably scratch the bite site and demonstrate in every possible way his concern about the situation.
The main symptom of ear mites will be intense itching in the ear area. Because of this, the dog will sleep poorly, possibly whine, and even injure the ear with intense scratching. And if you look into your ear, you will probably see a dirty gray or dark coating there.
Well, you can suspect helminths based on a number of symptoms. Firstly, the pet’s increased “interest” in the anus area. He may start licking him, sniffing him often, “rolling on his butt,” etc. Secondly, the dog will suddenly begin to lose weight. And this despite the fact that you feed him as usual, and the walks have not lengthened and proceed at the same pace. Thirdly, the condition of the coat, namely loss of natural shine, fragility, and loss. This is understandable, helminths take away all those important nutrients, which should go towards maintaining the dog’s strength and health, and the skin and coat are the first to signal their lack. Later, general lethargy, loss of strength and deterioration of appetite “turn on.” In particularly advanced cases - vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
By the way, it is not a fact that you will find worms in your dog’s feces. Not all of them are excreted in feces. But some can cause such atypical symptoms as cough, shortness of breath, convulsions, fever, and strange behavior.
Types of helminths
And now there’s a whole zoo here! No other class of animals can boast of such an abundance of forms and species. Naturally, it is impossible to talk about everything in one article. Moreover, even the most experienced veterinarian is hardly familiar with a fifth of all helminths known to science. But still, every dog owner should have an idea about the most common ones.
In accordance with the generally accepted classification, all helminths are divided into:
Nematodes or flatworms . The method of infection is from mother to fetus, by eating contaminated feces, through damaged skin.
Cestodes - flat or tapeworms . The main source of infection is the meat of infected animals, raw fish and seafood. Also eating infected fleas.
Trematodes - fluke worms , i.e. those that are attached to organs using special suction cups. Most often, a dog becomes infected with them if it eats raw meat or fish, or drinks water from open sources.
The most common worms in dogs are roundworms. And the palm among them belongs to roundworms . Yes, yes, these are exactly the same worms that mothers scare their children with when they say, “Don’t touch the dog, otherwise there will be worms!” because they are also the most common in humans. The causative agents of roundworms are most often Toscocars And toxocarides. In the first case, the helminths will have a decent length (about 20 cm) and are more dangerous to the health and life of the dog. With tocoscaridia, the worms will be shorter, only 3-8 cm, and less infectious. Especially for adult dogs.
In addition to roundworms, very common helminths are:
Hookworms – small (up to 2 cm) roundworms, the larvae often infect the dog’s lungs and, as adults, settle in its intestines. They are very dangerous for puppies, but can live asymptomatically in adults for a long time.
Heartworms (cardinematodes) - thread-like, white, long (up to 20 cm) worms. This type of helminth is dangerous because it chooses the dog’s heart as its habitat. Naturally, this negatively affects its work and can even lead to the death of the animal. Specific localization significantly complicates treatment.
There are four types of flatworms in dogs: Dipylidia (taenia), Taenia hydadidae, Diphyllobothria and Echinococcus . The first three are the same tapeworms that instill horror in dog lovers, the length of which can reach 10(!) meters (if infected with diphyllobtriosis). Echinococci compared to them are simply “pot-bellied little things”, only 1 cm, but despite their modest size, they can kill a dog in a few weeks or cause serious damage to the intestines. And in general, flatworms are very dangerous for miniature pets.
No matter how much we would like to, but magic pill There is no one that can rid your pet of all types of helminths in one fell swoop. Let's say more, not even all types of worms are treatable. Therefore, their prevention comes to the fore. Namely:
- Maintaining pet hygiene rules
- Heat treatment of meat and fish products
- Complete exclusion of river fish from the diet
- Suppression of all attempts to eat (lick) feces, drink water from open reservoirs and puddles
- Walking the dog away from places where stray animals gather
- Quarterly, prophylactic administration of anthelmintic drugs
By the way, for the purpose of prevention, it is absolutely not necessary to give your baby “chemistry.” A weekly food supplement in the form of a teaspoon of dried and crushed raw pumpkin seeds or half a clove of garlic will do an excellent job of this. But remember that garlic can only be given to dogs with a healthy stomach and gallbladder. Do you trust pharmacists more? – Then the best choice is complex preparations for several types of helminths.
The most reasonable and correct solution to the problem of helminths would be to visit a veterinarian and compulsorily submit stool samples for eggworms and specific tests blood. And only when it becomes clear what exactly the dog has become infected with, can you prescribe necessary drug, and at the same time carry out rehabilitation therapy. At the same time, it is extremely important to follow the recommended dosage and dosage regimen.
Fighting fleas
Fleas, unlike helminths, cannot infect us with such a variety of species and forms and, in 99.9% of cases, the cause of the patient’s discomfort will be Ctenocephalides canis or the dog flea.
It must be said that the modern pet industry offers a simply colossal range of products to combat fleas. Shampoos, sprays, drops, collars, some ampoules... There is a lot to get confused about. And how can you figure out what will help better and protect for longer? – In principle, everything, but there are some nuances. Much depends on the specific goal. It’s one thing if there are already fleas and you need to destroy them, and another thing is prevention. In the first case, the best choice is special shampoos, drops and sprays. The second contains sprays, collars, and natural products based on essential oils.
It is also important to remember that fleas live and reproduce not only on the dog. They can also “hide” in your apartment for years in order to attack the ward again at the right moment. Therefore, if there were fleas, then do not be lazy and, while treating the baby, wash the floors with a special product. It can also be purchased at a pet store. And don’t be afraid, if the drug is used correctly, such cleaning will not harm your pet in any way.
Protecting yourself from ticks
And everything would be fine, well, I would bite myself and bite. Like a mosquito. But, firstly, it is really difficult to unhook him from the dog. And secondly, ixodid ticks very often become carriers of a number of diseases. From helminthiasis to pyropsamosis, borreliosis and even encephalitis. That is why it is so important to make every effort to protect your miniature pet from getting “closely acquainted” with them. And they will help you with this:
How to properly remove a tick?
- Using tweezers. The main thing here is the correct grip, namely as close to the skin as possible. And we don’t pull it out, but carefully unscrew it, and counterclockwise.
- Oil, kerosene, melted wax. All these fluids are designed to block Airways insect or even kill it. Therefore, feel free to drip (smear) them onto his tail or his entire body, wait a little and carefully pull them out. Or maybe you will be lucky and the tick will come out on its own. But be careful not to let the hot wax or kerosene damage your dog’s skin.
- Special device. Yes, they are already producing such ones. How to use it correctly is shown in the photo below. With a little skill, you will become a true tick removal expert!
No matter how hard you tried, the head still remained in the dog’s body? “Then it’s best to take her to a specialist.” No, theoretically you can pull it out yourself, using a sterile needle, like a splinter. And yet it is better not to experiment, but to entrust your pet to professionals.
So, the tick has been removed, the wound has been treated, now what? “We watch the dog very carefully for at least a day. The owner should be alerted to any changes in behavior, general lethargy, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, or increased temperature. In this case, you need to urgently take the dog to the veterinary clinic.
Antiprotozoal, or antiprotozoal, agents are used in dogs and cats and other animals against protozoal diseases (azidine, berenyl, trypansine, etc.).
compliance with the rules of keeping and feeding dogs and cats, taking good care of them;
extermination of mice and rats, catching and destruction of stray dogs and cats - distributors of invasion among domestic animals and humans;
thorough preventive measures against anthropozoons (trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, etc.;
carrying out preventive deworming and chemopreventive treatments for dogs and cats;
prohibition of feeding animals with infested (contaminated) meat products and their waste;
isolation of dogs and cats affected by skin and other diseases.
Helminthiasis
Helminthiases are the most numerous diseases (more than 60%) and are widespread. Among helminthiases of dogs and cats, trematodes, cestodes, and nematodes are distinguished. Their pathogens differ sharply in structure and development. Acanthocephalans are not recorded in these animals.
Cestodoses are diseases whose causative agents belong to tapeworms - (hydatigenous taeniasis, pisiform taeniasis, feline hydatigenosis, canine multiceptosis, canine echinococcosis, canine alveococcosis, dipylidiasis and dephyllobothriasis).
Nematodes are caused by helminths from the class of roundworms - (toxocariasis, canine toxascariasis, canine hookworm disease and trichinosis).
Geohelminths develop directly without the participation of an intermediate host (Toxocara dogs, etc.), that is, the life cycle of a helminth occurs in the same animal. In addition to the definitive (main) host, the development of biohelminths involves an intermediate and sometimes an additional host (echinococcus, opisthorchus, etc.), in whose body the helminth goes through a certain stage of development - maturation.
Opisthorchiasis
Etiology
Opisthorchis feline has a lanceolate-shaped body about 10 mm long.
Opisthorchus is a biohelminth. It develops with a change of three groups of hosts: definitive (animals and humans), intermediate (freshwater mollusk Bithinia) and additional (cyprinid fish).
Dogs, cats and humans become infected by eating fish containing small invasive larvae in the muscles - metacercania (0.2 mm in diameter). Animals and humans become infected by eating fish caught in an unfavorable body of water.
Epizootological data
The transmission factor for opisthorchiasis infestation is raw, frozen, lightly salted and dried fish infected with larvae (metacercaria) of opisthorchiasis. Natural foci of this trematode infection are often created by aquatic fur-bearing animals.
Signs of illness
Signs of the disease are indigestion, emaciation, yellowness of the conjunctiva).
Opisthorchid is diagnosed intravitally in a veterinary laboratory by examining fecal samples of dogs and cats using the method of sequential washing and detection of trematode eggs.
First aid
Measure body temperature. Prescribe an easily digestible diet. Send the dog to a veterinary hospital and take a fecal sample for laboratory testing. Carry out a thorough cleaning of the room and bed.
For deworming of domestic and wild carnivores, hexichol and hexachloroethane, hexachloroparaxylene are used in the same doses as hexachloroethane.
Hexichol is prescribed in a dose of 0.2 g/kg, once, individually, in a mixture with a small amount of minced meat after a 12-hour fast. In severe cases of opisthorchiasis, hexichol is used in fractional doses (0.1 g/kg per dose) for two days in a row.
Prevention
It is prohibited to feed raw, smoked or dried fish to animals and humans.
Causes of the disease
Tenia hydatigenis is one of the largest cestodes of dogs and cats (up to 5 m in length), with an armed scolex (25–45 hooks), numerous testes (500–600), a two-lobed ovary in hermaphrodite segments and a branched uterus (5–10 processes with each sides) in mature segments.
Tenia hydatigenis is a biohelminth. The main hosts (dogs, wolves, etc.) and intermediate hosts (domestic and wild herbivores, pigs and rarely humans) take part in the development of this cestode. Dogs and cats become infected by eating omentums and other internal organs of intermediate hosts, infested with large thin-walled bladder-shaped larvae (up to a chicken egg), called “thin-necked” ciscerci with one scolex inside.
Epizootological data
Signs of illness
With a high intensity of invasion (more than five copies of cestodes in the intestines), sick dogs experience alternating diarrhea and constipation, emaciation, perverted appetite, itching in the anus, and convulsions.
The presence of mature members in dog feces can be detected by the owner. They must be collected with tweezers into a bottle and taken to a veterinary facility to determine the species.
Vitamin, milk diet. For constipation, it is necessary to prescribe a laxative - castor oil in quantities from one teaspoon (for cats and small dogs) to 50 ml medium and up to 100 ml - large dogs.
For taeniasis hydatigenis, as well as for other cestodiases, arecoline hydrobromide and phenosal are used to deworm dogs. Arecoline hydrobromide is prescribed at a dose of 0.004 k/kg of animal weight, single dose should not exceed 0.12 g, 12 hours after the last feeding with milk in bread boluses, pieces of meat or powder. The last feeding before giving the anthelmintic should not be plentiful, and the food is given in the form of porridge.
Before deworming, dogs are not given bones. When using arecoline, dogs are kept on a leash for 12 hours (up to three bowel movements).
Pumpkin seeds are cleaned and ground into powder, which is mixed with 6 parts water. The mixture is boiled for 1 hour. After cooling, remove oil from the surface. The gruel is mixed with an equal amount of flour. Dogs are given 100–200 g on an empty stomach, then an hour later a laxative.
Anazole 25 mg per 1 kg of body weight.
Droncid 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight.
Fenosal is used in a dose of 0.25 g/kg individually, once in the form of a powder mixed with food, as well as tablets without keeping dogs on a starvation diet and without the use of laxatives.
Prevention
Boiling all meat waste that goes into dog food. Dogs over 3- one month old, located in flocks and herds, are dewormed every 45 days. In conditions of pronounced seasonality, their infection is at least once a quarter. Dogs that do not have contact with public livestock are subjected to preventive treatments twice a year (spring and autumn). Catching and destroying stray dogs and cats.
Taeniasis pisiformis
Tenia pisiformis is similar in structure to Tenia hydatigenus.
This cestode is a biohelminth. Definitive hosts become infected with taeniasis by eating omentums and other organs of rabbits and hares (intermediate hosts) infested with small pisiform cysticerci.
Hunting dogs and wolves are the main sources of taenia infestation in nature. Young animals, especially stray dogs and cats, become more intensively infected.
Signs of illness
With a high intensity of invasion (more than five copies of cestodes in the intestines), sick dogs experience alternating diarrhea and constipation, emaciation, convulsions, itching in the anus, and perverted appetite.
The presence of mature segments in dog feces can be detected by the owner. They need to be collected with tweezers into a bottle and taken to a veterinary facility to determine the species.
First aid
Dairy, vitamin diet. For constipation, a laxative is prescribed - castor oil in quantities from one teaspoon (for cats and small dogs) to 50 ml for medium and up to 100 ml for large dogs.
Treatment is the same as for taeniasis hydatigenis.
Prevention
In order to prevent infection of hunting dogs with taeniasis, they should not be fed the internal organs of hares, which are often affected by pisiform cysticerci. When slaughtering rabbits at home, the liver, omentums and mesenteries must be boiled before feeding them to dogs and cats.
Feline hydatigerosis
Feline hydatigerosis is a helminthiasis in cats caused by a cestode.
The causative agent of hydatigerosis in domestic and wild cats is a cestode specific to cats - Hydatigera tenieformis, which is localized in their small intestine.
In addition to house mice and gray rats, laboratory white mice and rats are often affected by strobilocerci. The main factor in the transmission of hydatigenic infection to laboratory mice and rats is food contaminated with hydatigenic eggs (if infected cats have access to it).
Signs of illness
Cats experience depression, bloating, prolonged diarrhea, emaciation, sometimes vomiting.
The diagnostic methods are the same as for the previously described taeniasis.
First aid
If the cat has poor appetite, a milk diet is prescribed. Wet cleaning of the apartment using a 2% chloramine solution is recommended. The anal area is periodically wiped with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Cats infected with hydatiger are dewormed with phenosal without a preliminary starvation diet (0.1 g/kg of animal weight), bunamidine (0.05 g/kg) mixed with minced meat.
Prevention
Main preventive measure against hydatigerosis in cats, a break in the biological chain is considered: cat - hydatigera - mouse or rat. The destruction of mice and rats prevents infection of cats, and the isolation of food for laboratory animals from cats eliminates the infestation of mouse-like rodents.
Canine multiceptosis
Causes and course of the disease
The brain tapeworm is a medium-length cestode (60–80 cm).
The brain tapeworm develops with a change of hosts. Dogs, wolves and foxes are the definitive hosts, while sheep and very rarely humans are intermediate hosts. Dogs and wolves are infected by eating sheep's heads, the brains of which contain tsenur, or the larval stage of the multiceps pathogen. The cenurus is a thin-walled bladder of significant size (up to a chicken egg or larger), containing fluid and many scolex on the inner membrane (300–500 pieces). Localization of tsenur - head and less often spinal cord sheep.
Multiceptus infestation is spread mainly by shepherd dogs. One such dog secretes external environment(pasture) several million brain tapeworm eggs.
The signs of the disease do not differ significantly from the symptoms of taeniasis hydatigenis.
First aid
Before deworming a dog, it needs to improve its housing and feeding conditions. Bones should not be fed. If there is constipation, the condition of the sick animal is alleviated by a cleansing enema using a medium-sized syringe. For an enema, use clean water at room temperature. To avoid pain, water is poured slowly into the animal’s intestines. In some cases, to facilitate the excretion of feces, castor oil or a small amount of baby soap (a tablespoon of shavings per 1 liter of water) is added to the water.
Treatment and prevention
Treatment and prevention are not fundamentally different from those for taeniasis hydatigenes. In addition, it is necessary to reliably disinfect the heads of slaughtered sheep infested with tsenuria by thermal means.
Canine echinococcosis
Sexually mature Echinococcus granulosa is a very small cestode (2–6 mm in length), consists of a scolex armed with 30–40 hooks and 3–4 segments. The last segment is filled with a sac-like uterus, which contains 500–750 small eggs.
The development of Echinococcus granulosa occurs with the obligatory participation of the main hosts (dogs, wolves, foxes) and intermediate hosts (ungulates and humans). The primary (definitive) hosts become infected with imaginal echinococcus by eating the liver, as well as other organs and tissues infected with viable echinococcal bladders containing daughter and grandchild bladders. The number of scolex in one bladder can range from tens to several hundreds or thousands.
Echinococcosis belongs to the widespread cestodeses of domestic animals. If personal hygiene rules are not followed when interacting with dogs, a person can become infected with the larval stage of echinococcus.
Signs and course of the disease
In dogs with mature echinococcosis, attention is drawn to symptoms such as exhaustion, persistent diarrhea, sometimes followed by constipation, abdominal enlargement, depression general condition animal. During such a period, the sick dog presents great danger for a person. Viable cestode eggs are concentrated on the fur of different parts of the body and on the face.
Small segments of echinococcus can only be detected by examining samples of dog feces using the method of sequential washing (previously doused with boiling water). At negative analysis A dog suspected of having echinococcosis can be subjected to diagnostic deworming with arecoline.
It must be remembered that Echinococcus granulosa, unlike the causative agents of other carnivorous taeniasis, has maximum resistance to anthelmintics, especially in the immature stage, therefore the recommended anti-echinococcosis drugs should be used in optimal therapeutic doses for dogs: phenosal (0.25 g/kg animal weight), arecoline hydrobromide (0.004 g/kg), droncit (0.005 g/kg), vtozol, phenozol.
Prevention
Prevention should be aimed at preventing infection with larval echinococcosis in humans and farm animals, on the one hand, and at preventing infection of dogs and wild carnivores with imaginal echinococcosis, on the other.
Alveococcosis of dogs
Causes of the disease
In structure, alveococcus resembles echinococcus, differing from it in the slightly smaller size of the strobili, the number of testes in the hermaphroditic segment and the round shape of the uterus in the mature segment.
The main role in the development of alveococcus multilocularus as the definitive hosts is played by wild predators - arctic foxes and foxes, as well as wolves and dogs, and intermediate ones - cotton rats, muskrats, voles, and less often - humans. Definitive hosts become infected with imaginal alveococcosis by eating the infested liver and other internal organs of rodents affected by the larval stage of this cestode.
A person becomes infected with larval alveococcosis by eating unwashed lingonberries, cloudberries, blueberries, collected in places where foxes and arctic foxes live, as well as by contact with the skins of these fur-bearing animals. Alveococcus larvae are a conglomerate of small vesicles without liquid, but with scolex. Granulation tissue develops in the spaces between the vesicles. A section of the larval stage of this cystode shows noticeable cellularity.
Alveococcosis in the form of natural foci is often recorded in zones of taiga, tundra and desert, inhabited by arctic foxes and foxes, on the one hand, and mouse-like rodents, on the other.
Signs of the disease in animals have not been studied.
In humans, the disease is very severe. Urgent need surgery, which does not always end well.
In dogs, imaginal alveococcosis is recognized using the same methods as echinococcosis.
First aid and treatment are carried out using the same methods as for echinococcosis.
Prevention
The main distributors of the invasion - arctic foxes and foxes - are not subjected to deworming. Internal organs arctic foxes and foxes are destroyed.
Depilidiosis
Dipylidiasis is recorded at different times of the year. Fleas play a major role in the transmission of infestations. Stray dogs and stray cats are often and intensively infected.
Signs of illness
With a weak degree of infestation (single specimens of helminths) hidden form dipylidia. The severe form of the disease in dogs and cats is characterized by perverted appetite, depression, emaciation and nervous symptoms.
At home, owners can detect microscopic elongated mature segments in the freshly excreted feces of sick dogs or cats. cucumber tapeworm, and in the veterinary laboratory - egg capsules.
First aid
Seriously ill animals are given a milk diet. If constipation occurs, the dog is carefully poured into oral cavity castor oil from one teaspoon to three tablespoons, depending on the size of the animal.
In case of dipilidia in dogs, they are dewormed as in case of taeniasis hydatigenis, and in cats - as in case of hydatigenosis.
Prevention
To protect children from contracting dipylidia, care should be taken to ensure that cats and dogs do not have access to the kitchen.
Diphyllobothriasis
The broad tapeworm has a maximum length of 10 m and a width of up to 1.5 cm and a huge number of segments (over 1 thousand). Eggs of the trematode type are medium in size, oval in shape, light yellow in color, immature. One tapeworm produces several million eggs every day.
The broad tapeworm develops in a complex way - with a change of definitive hosts (dogs, cats, foxes and humans), intermediate (Cyclops copepods) and additional (pike, perch, ruffe, etc.). Definitive hosts become infected by eating raw or lightly salted fish infested with small larvae or plerocercoids (up to 6 mm in length). Plerocercoids live in the muscles, subcutaneous cells and eggs.
Signs of illness
Young animals with diphyllobothriasis experience nervous disorders (drowsiness, convulsions, seizures), perverted appetite and anemia.
Diphyllobothriasis is diagnosed intravitally on the basis of epizootic data (feeding animals with fish), clinical symptoms (nervous disorders), laboratory tests of fecal samples from dogs and cats using the method of sequential washing or flotation using a saturated solution of sodium thiosulfate.
Dogs and cats are dewormed with the same drugs that are recommended for taeniasis hydatigenis and hydatigerosis.
Prevention
It is prohibited to feed dogs and cats, as well as wild fur-bearing animals (in fur farms) raw freshwater fish obtained from unfavorable reservoirs. Conduct scheduled deworming of dogs (in spring and autumn), helminthological examination of water bodies, as well as sanitary educational work among fishermen.
Trichinosis
Intestinal trichinella is one of the smallest nematodes (1.5–4 mm). Males have no spicules. Females are viviparous. The larva (muscular trichinella) is located in a lemon-shaped capsule of microscopic size.
The life cycle of Trichinella occurs in one organism, first in the form of intestinal and then muscular trichinosis. Animals and humans become infected by eating meat containing invasive Trichinella larvae.
Trichinosis is widespread focally. Factors of transmission of infection for dogs and cats are eating mouse-like rodents, slaughterhouse and kitchen waste.
Signs of illness
The symptoms of the disease have not been studied enough. Dogs and cats have fever and diarrhea; a person has fever, swelling of the face, headache, soreness of a muscle group.
Diagnostics for dogs and cats has not been developed.
Treatment of animals with trichinosis has not been developed.
Prevention
Extermination of rats, mice, stray dogs and cats. All carcasses of pigs and other susceptible animals must be subjected to trichinoscopy. Veterinary and medical workers anti-trichinosis measures in disadvantaged areas are carried out jointly.
Hookworm disease
Causes of the disease
Hookworms are small nematodes (6–20 mm in length), one of which has a subterminally located oral capsule armed with triple teeth (hookworm), and the other with cutting chitinous plates (uncinaria).
The causative agents of hookworm disease develop directly. In the external environment, nematode eggs hatch into larvae, which molt twice and become invasive after 7 days. Dogs and cats become infected in two ways:
nutritionally (when ingesting infective larvae);
through the skin.
In the body of animals, hookworm and uncinaria larvae migrate along circulatory system before reaching sexual maturity in the small intestine.
Uncinariasis in dogs is recorded everywhere. Factors of transmission of invasion are water and food, as well as soil and litter contaminated with invasive hookworm larvae.
Signs of hookworm disease
Clinically, these nematodes have an acute and chronic course. At acute course diseases caused by preimaginal forms of worms, anemic mucous membranes are observed (nematodes feed on blood), depression, vomiting, and the presence of mucus and blood in the feces. In chronic cases - diarrhea and emaciation.
Along with the medical history, taking into account epidemiological data and clinical symptoms, it is necessary to examine fecal samples of dogs and cats to identify eggs of the strongylid type.
First aid
It is advisable to measure body temperature. Depending on the prevalence of certain disease symptoms, owners of some animals use laxatives for constipation, others - mucous decoctions, others - heat to the abdominal area (for pain and vomiting), etc.
For deworming of sick dogs and cats, piperazine salts (apidinate, sulfate, etc.) are used at a dose of 0.2 g/kg for 3 days in a row, naftamon (0.3 g/kg), tetramizole granulate (0.08 g/kg) once with minced meat or porridge.
Prevention
The measures recommended for canine toxascariasis are also effective for hookworm infections. Keeping the floors in kennels, cages and walking areas clean significantly prevents the active entry of invasive larvae of the worm into the body of dogs and cats through the skin.
Canine toxascariasis
Toxascaridae is a medium-sized nematode (4–10 cm in length). At the head end it has three lips and narrow cuticular wings.
Toxascariasis most often affects adult animals and young dogs older than six months. Factors of infection transmission are food and water contaminated with invasive toxascarid eggs, as well as mouse-like rodents.
Signs of illness
Signs of the disease are uncharacteristic.
Sick dogs have a depressed state; Disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system (diarrhea) and the nervous system are noticeable - epileptic convulsions.
The main method for diagnosing toxascariasis in dogs is the examination of samples of freshly excreted feces in a veterinary laboratory. Clinical symptoms and epizootological data of this helminthiasis are of secondary importance. There are often cases of toxascarides being excreted in feces or vomit.
First aid
If single toxascarides are detected released into the external environment, piperazine adipate can be used as an anthelmintic at home at a dose of 0.2 g/kg of animal weight, 3 days in a row, daily with food.
Piperazine salts (adipate or sulfate) are used with food in the dose indicated above; naphtamon (0.2 g/kg), once, individually after a 12-hour fast. Fenzol, ivomec and other drugs are also used. It must be borne in mind that some breeds of dogs (collies, etc.) do not tolerate ivomec well, so they should be used at the same time antihistamines- Diphenhydramine 1% solution intramuscularly only.
Feces excreted within three days after treatment are burned or buried deep in the ground. Cages and booths where animals are kept are disinfected with a blowtorch fire or boiling water.
Prevention
Against toxascariasis, the main preventative measure is daily cleaning dog kennels, areas, cages, pens (places for keeping animals) and their periodic disinfestation (destruction of helminth eggs) using thermal means.
Toxocariasis in dogs and cats
Toxocariasis is invasive disease young dogs and foxes.
Cause of illness
Toxocaras are nematodes of considerable size (males up to 10 cm long, females up to 18 cm).
Toxocariasis is one of the most common helminthiasis of carnivores at a young age (up to 3 months of age). The eggs of these pathogens are very resistant to chemicals(in a 3% formaldehyde solution they remain viable for several years).
Signs of illness
Clinical toxocariasis is severe. Puppies often experience vomiting, nervous disorders, diarrhea or constipation, and death is possible.
A significant role of such epizootological data as the young age of animals with toxocariasis. Nematodes can be detected macroscopically in vomit and feces. The veterinary laboratory tests samples of feces and kittens.
First aid
In order to alleviate the serious condition of a sick animal, laxatives are used at home (1–3 teaspoons castor oil) or give an enema using a small syringe, and prescribe a milk diet. When caring, you should follow the rules of personal hygiene and prevention in order to avoid the disease “Larva migrans”.
Treatment and prevention are, in principle, no different from treatment for toxascariasis.
