Common Parasites in Dogs

Let’s face it, dogs (and especially puppies) will eat ANYTHING.  They will also lick almost anything.  All that said, if there is a parasite out there, they will likely get it eventually.  The following is a summary of what we either know or gathered via research from the web on a few parasites that you may encounter.  The list is not exhaustive and we are not at all experts on the subject but we have in fact dealt with roundworms, tapeworms, giardia and heartworms at one time or another with our various dogs over the past 40 years so it’s worth the time to be familiar with them.

Disclaimer:  We are not licensed veterinarians and only offer the information and advice on this page based on layman research.  It is ALWAYS best to rely on advice from your veterinarian for subjects such as these and we accept no responsibility for the use of the information on this page..

Common parasites that affect dogs

Heartworms

This is a very important subject and deserves it’s own page.  Click THIS LINK to go to our heartworm page.

Coccidia

Single cell protozoan that intermix with the cells of the lining of the small intestine.  It is fairly common and can cause damage tot the small intestine and/or dehydration if left untreated for a long time.  Puppies are are more vulnerable to this parasite as their immune system is not fully developed.  many adult dogs will shed the parasite themselves if their immune systems are not compromised.

It is transmitted via ingestion of infected feces or by drinking infected water.  Water can become infected by animals putting feet with infected feces on them in the water.  If you ahve deer in your area be advised that it can (and often does) exist in deer feces (scat).  In our experience, young puppies LOVE eating deer scat.  If you think this is gross, so do we but see my introduction statement and move on.

The usual symptom is watery mucous like diarrhea.

it is easily treatable with good tasting medicine that the puppies will like.  It has to be given over a period of time to be effective.

Reference links:  PetMD, PetsAndParasites.org

Giardia

PetsAndParasites.org in part says this:

Giardia is a single-celled parasite that lives in your dog’s intestine. It infects older dogs but more frequently infects puppies. Dogs become infected when they swallow Giardia that may be present in water or other substances that have been soiled with feces.

They go on to say that the most common way to catch it is via swallowing infected water.  The best prevention is to provide clean water for your puppy and prevent them from drinking from water sources that may have feces in it.  Note that deer and other wildlife are common carriers of this bug.  Their waste can infect puddles, and puppies typically LOVE eating deer scat.  Try to avoid letting your dog eat scat or drink from ground puddles in wildlife areas.  You can also help the issue by promptly cleaning up feces using gloves or plastic bags.

There is a human form of giardia that can sometimes pass to dogs via exposure to human feces but the canine form of the parasite is generally not passed to humans.

The most common effect is diarrhea which can cause weight loss, dehydration and even death over time.

Veterinarians can treat and cure an infection so get your puppy to them if diarrhea lasts for more than a day.

Note that Giardia can live in the soil for quite some time and infected feces and water can re-infect your Golden Retriever.  If you find that your puppy is infected, pick up as many of the feces as possible, get rid of old/dirty water and used a diluted bleach/water solution to treat the potentially infected areas.

• All Pages

 

Roundworms

Roundworms are a VERY common parasite in dogs and especially puppies and virtually ALL dogs will be infected at least once in their lifetimes.  We’ve seen estimates that over 85% of all puppies are infected with roundworms.  This is why Texas TLC Goldens plans to “de-worm” the puppies at 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age while in our home and will give a de-wormer to the mamma before she is bred.

Round worms can grow to several inches in length inside the dog but are usually not visible in the feces (although it’s possible).  proper diagnosis requires a microscopic examination of a stool sample and should be part of your puppy’s annual exam.

PetsAndParasites.org in part says this:

Your dog may be infected with roundworms from the time it is born because often the mother passes the worms to the puppy while it is still in her body. Roundworms can also develop in a puppy after it is born when the puppy eats larvated eggs from the environment or drinks worm larvae (young worms) in the mother’s milk. Another way roundworms are passed is when roundworm larvae are present in the tissues of a mouse or another small mammal and the puppy eats the animal.

In many cases there are no symptoms and the dog could stay infected for years without notice but in severe cases you could see diarrhea, dull coat, bloated belly and in cases where the worms migrate to the lungs; coughing or vomiting.  the worms may be visible is there is vomit and sometimes in the stool.

Can humans become infected with roundworms?  yes; PetsAndParasites.org says this on that subject:

Roundworms do pose a significant risk to humans. Contact with contaminated soil or dog feces can result in human ingestion and infection. Roundworm eggs may accumulate in significant numbers in the soil where pets deposit feces. Once infected, the worms can cause eye, lung, heart and neurologic signs in people.

Children should not be allowed to play where animals have passed feces. Individuals who have direct contact with soil that may have been contaminated by cat or dog feces should wear gloves or wash their hands immediately.

Hookworms

Hookworms can infect dogs and humans regardless of age.  They painlessly enter the host through bare skin (typically feet) that are exposed to infected feces that have had time to generate larvae.  Hookworms are more prevalent in moist warm areas but can occur almost anywhere.

PetMD in part says this:

Hookworms can be fatal, especially in puppies. As such, pet owners need to be vigilant for signs of hookworms in their dogs. These blood-sucking parasites can invade, inhabit, and live in the dog’s small intestines. In their fourth-stage larvae, the hookworms can cause anemia and inflammation in the dog’s small intestine. Active worms leave bite sites and those sites continue to seep blood.

There is no way to “see” the infection via the naked eye.  other than seeing the symptoms but only way to diagnose an infection is microscopic examination of a stool sample.  Treatments vary from some medications to kill the parasites to hospitalization.

There is also no preventative medication available today so prevention and annual checkups are your only choice.

PetMD says this on the topic:

The environment where your dogs roam must be clean. Pay particular attention to the accumulation of water in a container, a low-lying area, or even in a pond. If you see the symptoms listed above in your pet, take a sample of fecal matter to your veterinarian.

There are no inoculations for this parasitic infestation, so the only way you can protect your pet is by being observant and acting quickly. And though hookworm cases are rare in humans, the parasites can penetrate human skin, so care must be taken while treating the affected animal.

Tapeworms

A tapeworm is an intestinal parasite like many of the parasites we’ve discussed above.  It can infect dogs, cats, humans, deer and just about any other mammal.  Infection comes about when a host that has eggs inside is eaten; often a single flea.  While it may seem strange that a dog will eat a flea, it’s almost certainly an accident.  It can happen when a dog is groom themselves or other dogs or even when digging or playing in flea infested grass or ground or even in rodents or birds that dogs tend to scavenge up.

Once eaten the eggs will hatch and the larvae will attach to the lining of the small intestine and grow into an adult of 4 to 28 inches in length.  The adult tapeworm’s body is made up of may small rice size segments called “proglottids”.  The segments tend to break off and leave the body in the stool then lay in wait to infect yet another host.

Fortunately tapeworms typically do not hurt the dog (possible but very uncommon), they are just gross and can cause some amount of weight loss.  You can sometimes see the proglittid segments in the stool or around the anus; they will for a short period probably be moving around.  Dogs often scoot across the ground to scratch the itch.  You may also see dead proglottids stuck to the dog’s fur close to the anus or tail.  The only really sure way to diagnose the issue is with a microscopic inspection of a stool sample so as before, consult your veterinarian.

There are a few medication that can remove the worms; even some over-the-counter but it’s strongly advised that you consult your veterinarian to assure the infestation is cleared up completely.  PedMD als points out that “It is important to administer all of the prescribed medication to ensure that the tapeworms are removed from the dog’s body.”

Sarcoptic Mange

PetMD says this about Sarcoptic Mange:

Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease found in dogs, caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. These mites will burrow through the skin causing intense itching and irritation. The scratching that results from mange is what causes the majority of the animal’s hair to fall out. This is a treatable medical condition, but is highly contagious for other animals and humans. Pet owners are advised to keep the dog quarantined while it is being treated for mange.

Don’t jump to conclusions as food allergies and a few other things can cause similar symptoms but DO see your veterinarian as soon as possible if you see the signs.  This is a very contagious problem that can also be transferred to humans.  it is likely that you will even need to quarantine your dog while being treated.

Demodectic Mange

Demodetic mange similar in nature to Sarcoptic mange but typically not as severe and often is “self limiting” in that the dog usually builds up antibodies that clear it up and prevent further infections.  it is so common that some   PetMD even says “Many veterinarians believe that all dogs have small numbers of demodex mites residing in the skin and that having a few mites is normal and common. “.  The antibodies to resist this mite is often but not always inherited from the dam.  In cases where it was not, most but not all dogs develop the resistance on infection and are unlikely to experience symptoms on future infections.  Watch for similar symptoms as Sarcoptic Mange and take your fur baby to the vet if you find them but if it turns out to be Demodetic Mange, that is typically good news.

Fleas

Fleas are “freeloaders” that feed entirely on blood.  They are at best an irritant and at worst can spread disease, parasites and cause anemia in puppies.

When fleas infest our pets and home they are sometimes hard to clear up completely.  It is really important that your puppy be kept on a good and effective flea preventative.  There are many over the counter solutions but we at Texas TLC Goldens use solutions provided by our Veterinarian since it is an oral medication that does not require any form of external poison on their skin, fur or collar.  We live in a wooded area with lots of wildlife and have never found a flea on our puppies.

If you live in an area with a lot of wildlife, be advised that wild animals (feral cats, deer, coyotes, foxes, birds, etc) are almost ALWAYS infested with fleas.  This fact almost guarantees fleas on your property.  Be sure to dispose of any wild animal carcasses as soon as possible and keep your puppy on flea treatment.  If you still see fleas and are using some form of flea preventative, your preventative is not working well enough and you should change to something new or consult your veterinarian.

Ticks

Ticks vary widely in type and where they live but all are external parasits that feast on blood.  They are carriers of all sorts of diseases (most notably lyme disease) and can cause anemia even in full size dogs if they attack in great numbers.  When we rescued a German Shepherd (Gandalf) in 1979 he was roughly 6 months of age and badly infested with many

hundreds of ticks and fleas.  He was severely anemic and barely survived.  This is an extreme example but it serves to show that they can be irritating at best and deadly at worst.

 

Sandiegocounty.gov in part says this about the tick life cycle:

Egg: Adult female ticks lay eggs on the ground in the spring.

Larva: In the summer, the eggs hatch into larvae. Then they attach to a host, begin feeding and over a few days, swell up with blood. Larvae feed on small mammals, deer and birds in the late summer and early fall.

Nymph: After feeding, most larvae drop off their hosts and transform into nymphs in the fall. They stay there until the next spring. Nymphs then attach to their host and feed for 4 to 5 days, while swelling with blood. Nymphs feed on rodents, small mammals, birds and humans in the spring and summer.

Adult: Once swollen, nymphs drop off their host and molts into an adult. Adult ticks seek new hosts in the fall, waiting up to 3 feet above the ground on the tips of grasses and shrubs, often along trails. Ticks do not jump or fly. Adult ticks feed on deer, humans, dogs, cats, horses and other animals.

if you find a tick on your puppy you should remove it asap.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises this procedure:

Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

I (Bryan) have been guilty of several of these things.  I have historically crushed the tick with my fingers and believed the urban legend that I should make it detach rather than pull it out.  This research was good for me and I’ll change practices immediately.  Luckily we’ve not found a tick on our dogs in years because of effective prevention.

The good news?  If there is any it is ticks can typically be controlled with good tick preventative.  Tick preventatives are commonly combined with flea preventative but watch your dog carefully for effectiveness and adjust as necessary.  As always, your veterinarian is your friend here.

If you suspect you have ticks in your yard there are a few things you can try to clean it up.

• Rid the yard of wild animals as much as possible (usually a fence)
• Add a “barrier” between your yard and the wild areas that is 2 or 3 feet wide to slow down the migration into your yard
  • rocks
  • mulch
  • etc
• Treat you yard chemically
  • Use care here as the poison will also be bad for your dog.  Assure you follow the instructions to the letter to keep your loved ones safe.