Parasites

1 I have a 1year old Chow who has recurring worms. My veterinarian has given me medication, but they come back. The worm looks like large flattened rice 1/2 in long. The pet store doesn't list tapeworm on any worm med, what should I use?

2 I have a 5-week-old Cocker Spaniel who doesn't seem interested in eating. I am giving him canned puppy food, and also have been feeding some Purina ONE™ dry puppy food, which I soften with water before feeding to him. I don't give them both together. He was diagnosed with Hookworm, Roundworm, and Coccidia yesterday at his first vet visit, and was treated once a day for 10 days. He has been home for about 48 hours and seems to be a little more playful now. Any suggestions?

3 What are the symptoms of heartworm and how do you treat them?

4 My dog has whipworms and I was wondering what they were.

5 I have a Border Collie mix that we got for free out of our local paper. Her coat seems to be thinner than it should be; she has bald spots, from her tail up towards the middle of her back. What can I do? Does excessive flea shampooing make this condition worse? She was infested with fleas when we got her. Also, she is supposedly 1 year old. How can I check her age? Someone told me I can tell by her teeth. Is this accurate?

6 I live in Southwest Louisiana. We have been hearing a lot about mosquito borne threats to animals and humans such as the West Nile Virus and enephalitis. Are these things that my outside dogs could possibly contract? I worry because our Golden Retriever Mix gets very hot and we keep a kiddie pool full and in the shade at all times for her to swim in. This standing water makes me worry about threats involving mosquitoes.

7 What are whipworms and how do we get rid of them?

8 What is Coccidia? How do dogs become infected? What is the best way to prevent your pet from getting infected with Coccidia?

9 My veterinarian is treating my 9 week old GSD puppy for Coccidia. I cannot find any information on the Internet about this. Can you tell me more about what it is and treatments? Thank you.

10 What are the symptoms of Ear Mites?

11 After I wiped my dog's behind after he finished defecating, I found several "sesame seeds" like things. There aren't many, about 5 or 6 and they are just like sesame seeds, in size, shape and color. These may be a little more yellowish. When I squeeze them, it breaks without any liquid. What are these and what should I do? I haven't seen any after that one time. If its fleas or ticks, should I shampoo the carpet? I also treat my dog with lifeguard last year, and started again a month ago on a 6 months regimen. He is a 15 months old Pomeranian. Thanks

12 What is the best way to treat and control fleas on my adult dog?

13 Is it necessary for a dog to be on heartworm medication year-round? We have an 8 month old yellow lab.

1 I have a 1year old Chow who has recurring worms. My veterinarian has given me medication, but they come back. The worm looks like large flattened rice 1/2 in long. The pet store doesn't list tapeworm on any worm med, what should I use? It may be that your dog has tapeworms. Usually dogs get a tapeworm infection in conjunction with having fleas. If you dog has fleas, he is likely reinfecting himself with the tapeworms. So, not only do you need to treat the tapeworms, but also treat the fleas. Please contact your veterinarian and discuss this problem with him.
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2 I have a 5-week-old Cocker Spaniel who doesn't seem interested in eating. I am giving him canned puppy food, and also have been feeding some Purina ONE™ dry puppy food, which I soften with water before feeding to him. I don't give them both together. He was diagnosed with Hookworm, Roundworm, and Coccidia yesterday at his first vet visit, and was treated once a day for 10 days. He has been home for about 48 hours and seems to be a little more playful now. Any suggestions? At five weeks, a puppy may not have learned to eat solid food all that well. You should continue to feed a good quality puppy diet and you may need to moisten it with water to help the puppy be interested and eat it. When puppies have intestinal parasites, they will not feel well and that could also affect their appetite. Now that you have been to the veterinarian and your puppy has received treatment, you should begin to notice some changes. Iif you do not, contact your veterinarian immediately. If the intestinal parasite load is very high, one treatment may not be enough. Therefore you should probably have a stool sample checked after you finish the medication to be sure your puppy is free of intestinal parasites.
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3 What are the symptoms of heartworm and how do you treat them? Often the symptoms of heartworm infestation are minimal with occasional coughing or exercise intolerance in animals with early or moderate heartworm disease. In severely affected dogs, signs will include weight loss, exercise intolerance, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen and irregular heartbeat. Once the symptoms are severe, treatment and recovery are more difficult and some dogs may succumb to the disease. Diagnosis is through a blood test and/or radiographs of the chest. Treatment requires hospitalization and administration by injection of medication to kill the heartworms. Then, 4-6 weeks of rest at home. Since heartworm disease can result in death, prevention is most important and easy to do. A yearly blood test can tell if your dog is infected with heartworms. If the test is negative, the dog should be put on heartworm preventative medication. There are many different types of medication available including oral and injectable types. Please contact your veterinarian for more information about prevention of heartworms disease.
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4 My dog has whipworms and I was wondering what they were. Whipworms are an intestinal parasite that can cause bloody diarrhea and inflammation of the large intestine. Infection is by the ingestion of eggs. The eggs are microscopic and can persist in the environment in soil for several months to years. Dogs of any age can be affected, but it is more common in puppies. If left untreated the diarrhea can be very debilitating. Treatment is by antiparasitic medication available from your veterinarian. Another fecal sample should be checked 3 to 4 weeks after treatment to be sure the infection is gone.
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5 I have a Border Collie mix that we got for free out of our local paper. Her coat seems to be thinner than it should be; she has bald spots, from her tail up towards the middle of her back. What can I do? Does excessive flea shampooing make this condition worse? She was infested with fleas when we got her. Also, she is supposedly 1 year old. How can I check her age? Someone told me I can tell by her teeth. Is this accurate? A heavy infestation of fleas can cause a great deal of skin irritation and subsequent hair loss. While flea shampoo will help get rid of the fleas that are on her at the time, it does not help to prevent reinfestation. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best product to not only treat the current flea problem, but also one that will also prevent reinfection. As for determining her age, it is possible to get a reasonable estimate of the age of a dog by using the wear on their teeth and their behavior. Keep in mind it may only be accurate within 6 months to 2 years depending on how old your dog is initially.
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6 I live in Southwest Louisiana. We have been hearing a lot about mosquito borne threats to animals and humans such as the West Nile Virus and enephalitis. Are these things that my outside dogs could possibly contract? I worry because our Golden Retriever Mix gets very hot and we keep a kiddie pool full and in the shade at all times for her to swim in. This standing water makes me worry about threats involving mosquitoes. West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes and there were a limited number of cases in dogs last year. Certainly any source for breeding mosquitoes is cause for concern. There are currently medications on the market that not only repel fleas and ticks but also mosquitoes. You might want to check with your veterinarian to see if this medication is appropriate for your outdoor dogs.
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7 What are whipworms and how do we get rid of them? Whipworms are intestinal parasites of dogs that can cause bloody diarrhea and inflammation in the intestinal tract. While most commonly found in fecal samples of puppies, they can occur in any age dog. If left untreated, chronic infections can result in weight loss and debilitation. Dogs become infected by ingesting eggs that are found in their environment and the eggs can persist for months to years. Diagnosis is by a fecal floatation test done by a veterinarian. Treatment is with drugs that can be obtained from your veterinarian. A follow-up fecal examination should be done 3-4 weeks after treatment.
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8 What is Coccidia? How do dogs become infected? What is the best way to prevent your pet from getting infected with Coccidia? Coccidia are intestinal parasites that are from the family of Protozoa. Dogs become infected by ingesting the eggs in a contaminated environment. For most animals the infection is not problematic, but in young animals or those in high stress conditions, unsanitary conditions, malnourished or sick the infection can be debilitating. An examination of the feces by a veterinarian can diagnose the problem and then appropriate treatment prescribed. Keeping a clean environment and a healthy well nourished pet may help prevent infection.
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9 My veterinarian is treating my 9 week old GSD puppy for Coccidia. I cannot find any information on the Internet about this. Can you tell me more about what it is and treatments? Thank you. Coccidia are protozoan parasites that can infect the intestinal tract of puppies and kittens and cause diarrhea. Infection is often associated with high stress and over crowded environments. Concurrent disease or malnutrition can aggravate the problem. Treatment is usually with medication and depending on the medication can last 1-3 weeks. A recheck of the stool is suggested to be sure the parasite is gone.
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10 What are the symptoms of Ear Mites? Ear mites are parasites that live in the ear canal and can cause intense itching and thick red-brown discharge from the ears. It can be very contagious to other animals in the household, so if one dog has them, the others usually need to be treated as well. Diagnosis should be done by your veterinarian who will take a swab from the ear and check for mites under the microscope. The condition is usually treated with prescription medication. The ears should be rechecked in one month's time to be sure the mites are gone. In most cases the problem resolves with treatment.
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11 After I wiped my dog's behind after he finished defecating, I found several "sesame seeds" like things. There aren't many, about 5 or 6 and they are just like sesame seeds, in size, shape and color. These may be a little more yellowish. When I squeeze them, it breaks without any liquid. What are these and what should I do? I haven't seen any after that one time. If its fleas or ticks, should I shampoo the carpet? I also treat my dog with lifeguard last year, and started again a month ago on a 6 months regimen. He is a 15 months old Pomeranian. Thanks Intestinal parasites are common problems in all companion dogs. While some parasites are visible to the naked eye, others are only visible under the microscope. To determine which type of parasite a dog may have a stool sample should be submitted to the veterinarian. If any material or unusual things are noticed on the stool or after defecation those should be brought to the veterinarian as well. This will allow her to determine what type of parasites are present and then prescribe appropriate treatment.
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12 What is the best way to treat and control fleas on my adult dog? Fleas can be a terrible problem once they get established on the dog. Not only do they cause intense itching, but the scratching may result in skin irritation and infection. There are many good products available that can eradicate fleas. At the same time you treat your dog, if the infestation is quite bad you may also need to treat the environment. It is also necessary to treat all other animals in the home even if you do not see fleas on them. Please consult with your veterinarian for the products that would work best in your situation.
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13 Is it necessary for a dog to be on heartworm medication year-round? We have an 8 month old yellow lab. In certain areas of the country heartworm infection is a year round problem and preventative medication is needed the entire year. In other areas a cold winter may allow a dog to be off medication for a few months. However, in most cases it is more reliable and prudent to keep a dog on heartworm medication year round.
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