Gunfield Breeders | Parasites

Parasites

Ear mites

Ear mites can cause serious problems if left untreated. They can cause permanent damage to the inner ear and ear canal, which control the balance of your pet. It may result in your pet having sores in and around the ears from constant scratching, secondary infections, or an inability to walk correctly or balance themselves

Thornit is very effective in the treatment of ear mites you can obtain Thornit here

Fleas

Adult fleas are brown and about the size of a sesame seed. Since there may only be a few fleas on your pet, some people actually detect the “flea dirt” before they see fleas or signs of scratching. Flea dirt is tiny black specks on the animal, which is the flea’s faecal matter. Flea dirt is largely noticeable around the ears and neck and base of the tail . Carpets, bedding, and furniture can become breeding grounds for flea eggs unless they are cleaned regularly. fleas can be controlled on your dog using a spot on product such as frontline

Ticks

Ticks. are found in the long grass particularly where deer or sheep graze. brushing your pet regularly will help you find ticks that may find their way onto him or her. Once you find a tick on your pet, immediate removal is key. When removing a tick, the best way to do so is by pulling it off with tweezers or by sprayin it with frontline.

Sarcoptic Mange

This is sarcoptic mange. Also known as “Scabies or fox mange”. This mange affects dogs of all age, and are highly contagious. They can be transmitted through contact, bedding and even grooming tools. These mange mites burrow through the top layer of the dog’s skin and cause severe itching. This causes generalized hair loss, bleeding and crusting of the skin. Many times secondary skin infections develop because of the inflammation. People who come in contact with the skin of an infected dog may also develop a rash, and should seek medical attention immediately. Sarcoptic mange is the more difficult mange to cure. Dogs need medication and their environment must be cleaned and sanitized routinely. It is also a good idea to keep the animal isolated as much as possible from other animals and people until the mange is gone. mild cases can be treated with stronghold.

Demodectic mange

These mites are microscopic and not very contagious. It is possible, though, for a mother dog to pass them to her pups and some breeds are believed to be genetically disposed to them. These mites tend to be localized to areas of the body and tends to appear as patches of red, dry, scaly skin around the eyes, mouth, legs and trunk. Unlike other types of mange, demodectic mange can actually be an indication of an underlying medical problem, so it is important to seek the help of a licensed veterinarian. When caught early, the mange is generally cured with proper diet, exercise and medicated shampoo. However, if localized mange is allowed to spread to generalized (demodicosis), it can be difficult to treat and treatment may only actually result in controlling the condition instead of curing it.

Hook worm

These are small, thin worms that fasten to the wall of the small intestine and suck blood. Dogs get hookworm if they come in contact with the larvae in contaminated soil. As with roundworms, the hookworm larvae becomes an adult in the intestine. The pups can contract hookworms in the uterus and the dam can infest the pups through her milk.

A severe hookworm infestation can kill puppies, but chronic hookworm infection is usually not a problem in the older dog. When it does occur, the signs include diarrhoea, weight loss, anaemia, and progressive weakness. Diagnosis is made by examining the faeces for eggs under a microscope.

Tape worm

Another small intestine parasite, the tapeworm is transmitted to dogs who ingest fleas or who hunt and eat wildlife infested with tapeworms or fleas. The dog sheds segments of the tapeworm containing the eggs in its faeces. These segments are flat and move about shortly after excretion. They look like grains of rice when dried and can be found either in the dog's stool or stuck to the hair around his anus. Tapeworms cannot be killed by the typical over-the-counter wormer; see the veterinarian for appropriate treatment.

Round worm

Roundworms are active in the intestines of puppies and adult dogs, often causing a pot-bellied appearance and poor growth. The worms may be seen in vomit or stool; a severe infestation can cause death by intestinal blockage.

This worm can grow to seven inches in length. Females can produce 200 thousand eggs in a day, eggs that are protected by a hard shell and can exist in the soil for years. Dogs become infected by ingesting worm eggs from contaminated soil. The eggs hatch in the intestine and the resulting larva are carried to the lungs by the bloodstream.

The larva then crawls up the windpipe and gets swallowed, often causing the pup to cough or gag. Once the larvae return to the intestine, they grow into adults.

Roundworms do not typically infest adults. However, as mentioned above, the larvae can encyst in body tissue of adult bitches and activate during the last stages of pregnancy to infest puppies. Worming the bitch has no effect on the encysted larvae and cannot prevent the worms from infecting the puppies.

Although roundworms can be treated with an over-the-counter wormer found in pet stores, a veterinarian is the best source of information and medication to deal with intestinal parasites. De wormers are poisonous to the worms and can make the dog sick, especially if not used in proper dosage.

Whip worm

Adult whipworms look like pieces of thread with one end enlarged. They live in the cecum, the first section of the dog's large intestine. Infestations are usually light, so an examination of faeces may not reveal the presence of eggs. Several checks may be necessary before a definitive diagnosis can be made

Lung worm

This parasite is normally associated with Europe rather than the UK, however as cases have now been confirmed in the UK we can not afford to ignore the threat as infection from lung worm can be fatal.

It is vital puppies and adult dogs are treated against all types of worms every three months, Panacur amongst other products is effective in preventing Lung worm if used at the correct dosage and intervals.

Symptoms of Lung worm include-

lethargy, exercise intolerance and a chronic cough.

Lung worm can be contracted from fox excrement