Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jun 2

There are many types of roundworms that could infect mammals; but the 2 most common types found in domestic cats are:

Toxicara felis:
Kittens can be infected after birth by their mothers milk. Towards the end of her pregnancy, hormones trigger any dormant larvae in her muscles to pass into the mammary glands. These larvae migrate through the milk glands and straight into the stomachs of the newborn kittens.

Once ingested, these larvae grow inside the kitten and can become adult worms while the kitten is still young - obviously they will use the nutrition from the milk instead of the kitten itself.

The kittens can also ingest futher larvae from infective eggs in the environment (on their bedding, etc) or more commonly, through the bitches milk until they are weaned. 

Kittens with a heavy burden of worms will have their growth stunted, and very likely have distended, swollen bellies and will often vomit and have diarrhoea.  Severe infections of worms have been known to totally block the intestines.

However, kittens should have naturally expelled all their adult worms by 7 months of age. Any eggs or larvae ingested after this time won’t become adult worms in the gut, but will pass through the intestine wall into the body of the kitten (now an adult cat) and settle as their resting state (as cysts) in the muscle tissues.

Any eggs that were ‘passed’ by these kittens or the queen onto the ground or bedding, usually in faeces, have very protective cases and can survive outside for up to 2 years waiting to be eaten or licked up by an animal or human (not washing their hands before eating).

If these eggs are ingested by any animal other than a dog (their specific host) they will not become adult worms in the body - it is host specific to only cats.

However instead, they will travel through the body to the muscle tissue and remain temporarily inactive in a ‘cyst’. This animal (or person) then becomes their temporary host as the worm larvae are hoping that one day, when this ‘animal’ dies, it will be eaten by a cat (or other animal that is then eaten by a cat) and they can complete their lifecycle.

Basically this worms job is to live in the female cats muscle tissue until she becomes pregnant so it can infect her kittens.

Toxicara leonina:
This roundworm will infect both cats and dogs as part of it’s life cycle, but it is not a zoonosis - it has not been known to pass to humans in it’s live state.

There is no infection before birth from the mother to her unborn young, or through the mothers milk - infection is commonly seen in young adolescent animals as they begin to explore their enviroment and ingest eggs or temporary hosts containing inactive larvae (i.e; a cat eating an infected mouse or beetle, or a dog eating undercooked offal and game).

There are normally no outward clinical signs of light or heavy infestation with this worm, as they are well tolerated by both cats and dogs, so you wouldn’t know that your pet even had them!

A good a reason as any to regularly worm your cats!!!

posted by admin on May 26

There are many types of roundworms that could infect mammals; but the 2 most common types found in domestic dogs are listed below:

Toxicara canis:
Puppies can be infected before birth by their mothers (bitches). Towards the end of her pregnancy, hormones trigger any dormant larvae in her muscles to pass into the uterus. These larvae migrate through the flesh of the unborn puppies into their liver and lungs.

Once born and breathing, the puppies will cough these larvae up and normally swallow them stright back into their own intestines where they become adult worms.

The puppies can also ingest futher larvae from infective eggs in the environment (on their bedding, etc) or more commonly, through the bitches milk (dormant roundworms would have migrated to the mammary tissues and were also triggered by the bitches hormones).

Puppies with a heavy burden of worms will have their growth stunted, and very likely have distended, swollen bellies. They may even vomit or have diarrhoea. Severe infections have been known to totally block the intestines.

However, puppies will have naturally expelled all their adult worms by 7 months of age. Any eggs or larvae ingested after this time won’t become adult worms, but will pass through the intestine wall and settle into their resting state (as cysts) in the muscle tissues.

Any eggs that were ‘passed’ by these puppies or the bitch onto the ground with faeces have very protective cases and can survive outside for up to 2 years waiting to be eaten or licked up by an animal or human (not washing their hands before eating).

If these eggs are ingested by any animal other than a dog (their specific host) they will not stay in the gut to become adult worms.

Instead, they will travel through the body to the muscle tissue and remain temporarily inactive in a ‘cyst’. This animal then becomes their temporary host as the worm larvae are hoping that one day, when this ‘animal’ dies, it will be eaten by a dog and they can complete their lifecycle.

Basically this worms job is to live in the female dogs muscle tissue until she becomes pregnant so it can infect her pups.

Toxicara leonina: 
This roundworm will infect both cats and dogs as part of it’s life cycle, but it is not a zoonosis - it has not been known to pass to humans in it’s live state.

There is no infection before birth from the mother to her unborn young, or through the mothers milk - infection is commonly seen in young adolescent animals as they begin to explore their enviroment and ingest eggs or temporary hosts containing inactive larvae (i.e; a cat eating an infected mouse or beetle, or a dog eating undercooked offal and game).

There are normally no outward clinical signs of light or heavy infestation with this worm, as they are well tolerated by both cats and dogs, so you wouldn’t know that your pet even had them!

A good a reason as any to regularly worm your dog!!!

posted by admin on May 30

There are so many Top Tips I can think of for your horses and ponies - that I had to give you another 10!

Lets not hang around, so here they are:

1) If your horse is difficult to catch from the field, then keep a bit of crackly paper in your pocket with the treats, so that he is a bit more interested in you in the first place - then once close enough, the treat should do the job!

2) If he is outside a lot in the winter, then leave his ‘feathers’ untrimmed as they will act as a natural ‘drainpipe’ to channel the excess rainwater from his legs - helping reduce the chances of cracked heels.  Adding Vaseline to the heels will also help as well.

3) If your horse needs entertaining in his stable, why not drill a hole through a large turnip (or similar) and hang it from the wall!  This should give him something to amuse himself with - and a tasty treat too!

4) If your horse is too greedy and finishes off his hay too quickly, then make the holes smaller in his hay-net.  Use spare baler twine to form a smaller grid across the existing holes around the middle and bottom!

5) And, if you are feeling creative, then why not make him a new (or first) fly fringe out of baler twine for the warmer weather - particularly if he has a sparse forelock to do the job naturally.

6) Smear a little Vaseline around the tops of the overreach boots if he hasn’t worn them for a while as they could chafe a little to get started.

7) Change the type of wormer you use every other year so that the worms in your area don’t get immune to the preparations.  And always worm at the same time as your whole yard to make a more effective job of it!

8.) If your horses don’t like their medication, you could always mix it with black treacle, or something equally sticky, and wipe it on their tongue - this way they won’t be able to spit it out!

9) Water in your stable should be changed very regularly as it can absorb ammonia from the horse excrement quite easily and will become quite unpleasant to smell and drink - which could eventually make your horse ill.

10) And finally, another comfort one - make sure that you check the fitting of your horses saddle several times a year especially if you are changing their activity.  A horses shape will change quite noticeable with different feeds and/or different amount of exercise from summer to winter.

If you have any of your own tips - please add them in the comments section - or feel free to read 10 Top Show Tips For Your Horses Equestrian Career.

posted by admin on May 17

How To Assess ‘What Is Wrong With My Dog?’

There are many illness that your dog can get, and many symptoms that can be signs of various diseases or injuries.

It is important to know whether the symptoms in you dog are 1) serious and need urgent veterinary attention, 2) are important and need checking by a vet, 3) are uncomfortable for your dog but can be treated at home or by simple remedies and 4) those that are common and need no treatment.

1) Serious - Urgent Attention.
This would include continued bleeding, sudden collapse or fitting, an obvious injury like bring hit by a car or anything regarding a pregnant bitch that is unusual.

A discharge from any body part could also be serious (although not clear discharge from the eyes and nose) especially if it is bloody, smelly or contains pus.  Always call your vet surgery if concerned.  Serious cases of violent or continued vomiting and diarrhea (with or without blood) may also be fitted into this group if very young, very old, or already ill and/or on medication.

2) Important - Need Checking.
This could include symptoms that have been going on for a while, but that were not immediately worrying.  These could include; loss of appetite, loose stools, vomiting, gradual weight loss, inactivity/sleeping more, behavioural changes (including aggression, soiling indoors, becoming unsociable) or stiffness.

You may be able to speak with a veterinary receptionist or veterinary nurse to help you decide on how to progress with these symptoms or whether to book an appointment sooner rather than later - it all depends on the age of the animal or other existing illnesses.

3) Uncomfortable - Your Choice.
Such things as worms (scratching their rear end or dragging their bottom along the ground) or fleas (chewing all their fur off up their back or scratching excessively) or other parasites can be either treated at home with standard products - however a visit to the vet can also check for other problems at the same time as administering treatment.

However, to be effectively treated at home, owners should still speak to a receptionist at their vet surgery for the most effective course of treatment and sometimes the more effective actual products.  By this I mean buying just a flea spray or collar for your pet will not get rid of fleas - you need to treat the whole house.  But if you only treat the pets bed and use a ‘flea’ product only (rather than one that kills the eggs and larva too) you will not solve the problem - and could make your own flesh the fleas next meal! See the previous ‘How To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your Home’ article for more advice.

4) Common Problems - Little Treatment.
Things such as loose stools after eating too much food - or the wrong type of food - such as stealing some cakes off the table!

Vomiting green slime after eating (or having the potential to have eaten) grass, or just vomiting up the last meal it ate - which they normally will eat again!

Hacking or coughing after eating a bone or twig - as long as the dog doesn’t look too uncomfortable and it doesn’t last more than an half hour or so is usually nothing to worry about.

Basically any symptoms that only last a short time and do not happen regularly should be no cause for concern.  As with humans, just keep an eye on things and go from there.

In Summary: 
As with any living creature, it is far better to get anything checked out if you are unsure, and for the sake a few $’s, it can be worth the peace of mind. 

I’m sure that your vet will not think you are wasting their time - after all, you are paying for a normal appointment just like everyone else there with you!  It also means that they get to answer any of your questions AND get to check your dog over thoroughly at the same time and update their health record, do a weight check and you can buy some food/wormers/flea products/accessories while you are there!

There are no losers after a visit to your vets!

posted by admin on Mar 24

Can Roundworms Infect Any Animal ?  Basically, the answer is Yes.

These ascarids (a type of nematode worm) occur in all animal groups, including mammals, reptiles and birds and in each case the worm is host specific. They have managed to colonise every environment on earth by using the species that live there - but they do have their limits….

Host Specificity in Roundworm:
Roundworms are very specific in the animals they can reproduce in, but the worms themselves can get into other species and cause illness.  For example the dog roundworm (Toxacara canis) can cause lesions and blindness in humans.

However - host specificity means that they can only fully complete their life-cycle - from egg to larvae to adult - in one or sometimes two species. As mentioned, they are able to stay alive in other species in their larval stage, but can only become adult in their specific host.

Larval roundworms are commonly found in humans - although are inactive - but are still known as a zoonosis - which is a general terms used to describe a disease that can be spread from animals to humans, like rabies and salmonella.

How Do You Get Infected?
As with most endoparasites, animals or humans become infected by close contact with feces.  The eggs are ejected from the host in stools and are protected on the ground until ingested by another creature. 

Dogs and cats continue the cycle by sniffing each other waste for scent, or eating grass or food off the ground in an infected area (the eggs can survive long after the actual stool has gone).

Humans who pick up their animals waste inside or outdoors are at risk from picking up an egg - and needless to say if they do not thoroughly wash their hands before handling or eating uncooked food could ingest the eggs themselves.  The egg hatches to a larva and wil move around it’s new hosts body!

Unfortunately, people do not always treat their pets for worms and so children or adults sitting in parks, doing handstands or generally just playing about could come into contact with the eggs.  As will those who stoke, play or sleep with a pet that has laid on grass and the eggs may be transferred that way.

How To Avoid Getting Infected:
Don’t stop having fun outside or playing with your pets - just take obvious precautions.

Worm your pet regularly with a veterinary approved roundworm treatment following the dosage chart properly and on dates recommended.

Grooming your pet regularly and washing it’s bed/bedding can also reduce the numbers of eggs brought into your home by accident.

Always wash your hands before eating!  If you can remember to wash them after playing with pets or in parks or woodlands, but if you get in the habit of always washing before eating anyway - then you could avoid a lot worse things than roundworms!!
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posted by admin on Mar 17

Lungworms - The Unknown Parasite

We all know about roundworms and tapeworms and even heart worms and whip worms - but what on earth are lungworms and how would my dog pick them up? 

Well, apparently, you can get them from slugs and snails!  And there are plenty of them in my garden at the moment!!  It can also be ingested by eating infected rodents and birds (that have eaten the slugs or snails in the first place) and from the faeces of already infected cats, dogs and foxes.

What Are Lungworms?
They are members of the nemetode group of worms that can infect all sorts of animals from cows to rabbits, and live in the heart and main blood vessels leading to the lungs when parasitizing dogs.

Outside of their victims, they live in their intermediary hosts - and this includes slugs and snails for the dog specific lungworm.  They can easily be ingested by eating grass, puppies being nosy and of course, by catching and eating the live hosts of the Lungworm.

As with most internal parasitic worms, their eggs are passed out in the animals faeces and so can easily spread where there is a high concentration of dogs or cats or where owners are not disposing of their pets waste sensibly.

How Do They Affect My Dogs Health?
Symptoms can include the following groups of classic signs, but of course these can be associated with other illnesses, but if your dog eats things it finds or is particularly young and nosy, then they are possible at a greater risk of picking up lungworm.

Infected animals may well just show signs of being unwell. This can include mild sickness, loose stools, random vomiting and possibly a reduced interest in food.

As a result of general ill health, your dog could seem ‘out of character’. The infection could bring about a change in the way your dog reacts to you and everything in general really. They could become listless and uninterested in things that they used to enjoy.

They may tire more easily than normal when exercising or playing enthusiastically.  It is also possible that they start to cough as well, whether they are exercising or not.

There is no point trying to self-diagnose, as many animals don’t even show any symptoms at all.  The best treatment is prevention - as with most parasites - so discuss the likelihood of your pet having lungworms with your vet at your next visit and find out your best treatment options.

Treatment:
Lungworm isn’t treated with a standard wormer from a pet shop or supermarket - you need to go to the vets for effective diagnosis and treatment.  Most wormers only treat round worm and tapeworm (check the packaging to find out what yours do).

However, treatments are changing, and the re are a whole host of new ways to apply the treatments.  For example, you no longer need to worm you pets with a giant table!  There is an easy product now available that vets can offer that is just a drop on the back of the neck.  Not only does it treat lungworms - it also treats the standard worms as well as fleas and mites!

Great news all round!

posted by admin on Jul 21

Canine Hookworm Incubation

Hookworms in dogs are short, stout worms, with hooked heads.  There are 2 types of these worms and they both live happily in dogs. 

Hookworm And Dogs: 
They are very common in the US, but are not usually found in domestic pets in the UK - and it is more likely to find them in larger dog polulations such as greyhound and ‘hunt’ kennels.

Both types of hookworm live in the small intestines of your dog and attach theselves to the intestinal mucosa with their mouthparts - as with most other worm types.  However these worms use their teeth or plates to actually damage the wall lining - eating the damaged tissues rather than the food that the dog has eaten.

A small burden of hookworms in dogs may not be noticable in their appearance, but with a heavy burden or an already sick dog, you will notice weight loss and possibly anaemia.

Lifecycle:
The adult female worms lay eggs which travel through the intestines and pass out in the dogs stools. These egg cases are very well protected outside of the host, and can survive in the environment until another host is found - or walks by…..

However, the eggs of the hook worm do not necessarily need to be ingested to continue the cycle, although this is the most common way.

As with roundworms, infected female dogs (bitches) can infect their litter of puppies with Ancylostoma species in their milk during lactation, so treatment before breeding is advised if you don’t have a regular treatment schedule anyway.

The infective larvae of both types of hookworm are also able burrow into the skin of an animal! If in the right environment, the larvae hatch out outside of an animal and use their mouth parts to burrow into their flesh causing dermatitis where they burrow onto the skin.  Some though, are more than capable of burrowing all the way through the dogs flesh and into the intestines to complete their lifecycle!

Whichever way the hookworms get in to your dog however, this type of worm can easily be treated with medication from your vet, and repeated treatment is the best method of control in endemic areas or kennels.

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posted by admin on Jul 18

Heartworm And Heartworm Symptoms.

The heart-worm (Dirofilaria immitis) does not usually occur in the UK but is commonly found in dogs from warmer climates including the US. Cats in the UK are hardly ever found to have these worms, and even in the US it is rare for this species.

The adult worms live in the dog or cats heart as their name suggests, but these then produce immature larvae (microfilariae) which are dispersed into the hosts blood.

Most healthy animals can tolerate a certain amount of heart-worms, but treatment is the best option as they can start to block the action of the heart when their numbers increase, causing coughing to start, but also can induce fainting after exercise and eventually heart failure and death as a result.

How They Reproduce:
Heart-worm larvae are transmitted to new hosts via mosquitoes. Basically the mosquito sucks up the microfilariae when feeding off of an infected dog or cat, then when it next feeds it passes some of these into the skin of it’s next meal. Once inside their next dog or cat host they migrate to the heart and can become adults.

Due to this insect-transmission, the worms are only really passed onto new hosts during the peak seasons for the mosquitoes to be feeding - so in colder months this doesn’t spread. It is also the reason why it is not normally found in the UK as the mosquito involved is hardly ever found there to pass this worm around.

This is why heart-worm prevalence in Ohio and Florida, for example, can be so different - it all depends on the mosquito to act as intermediate host, which ultimately depends on the weather.

Obviously using insect repellents on your pets can help to reduce transmission rates, but continuous treatment is the best course of action - as testing first then treatment could cost more than just routine wormers alone.

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posted by admin on Jul 15

Feline and Canine Whipworms.

Whipworm (Trichuris vulpis) is found in domestic dogs and cats throughout the US and Australia, but is not found in the UK, other than from untreated recently imported animals.

This worm is whip-shaped - hence the name and has one thick and one thin end and usually grow up to 7cm long and live in the large intestine or cecum as adults, where they bury their slimmer heads into the intestinal tissues leaving the thicker end sticking out into the intestines themselves.

A low burden (i.e. not many worms) is tolerated well by healthy adult cats and dogs, and most individual animals will not normally become ill with these worms living in their intestines. However, a large amount of worms - i.e a heavy burden - can lead to unpleasant bloody, mucus filled diarrhoea, which will need treatment from a vet.

How they reproduce:
The female adult whip-worms produce eggs which are passed through their thicker end into the intestines and subsequently are passed out in the stools of the dog or cat.

These eggs are characteristically oval in shape, and under the microscope can be seen to have a ‘plug’ at both ends. They are covered with a thick shell to help protect the larvae inside, and so are very resistant to damage from the environment. Once they leave the host and are dropped into bedding or onto the ground they are on their own, but are more than prepared for it.

In good conditions, eggs containing infective larvae can survive for several years outside a host before being ingested - either licked up or eaten - by an animal. So that is a pretty hardy little creature. They are host specific though, so will only survive and grow to be an adult whip worm in either a dog or a cat - even if swallowed by a bird or other animal.

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