Parasites In Dogs Research Paper

Parasites in Dogs
By Ron M. Ayalon
Nov 8, 2013
Diseases such as distemper and parvovirus can have a serious impact on your dog's health, but your dog can also be affected by external and internal parasites. Parasites are creatures that derive their living from feeding on the blood or tissues of a living host. These creatures, generally small in size, can weaken your dog's system and make them much more likely to become ill, and can also cause a great deal of damage to the dog's body themselves. A visual check for external parasites should be made daily, and periodic testing to make sure your dog is not supporting a multitude of freeloaders can keep your companion healthy.

Few dogs go throughout life without experiencing some of these parasites, …show more content…
Fleas will be happy to feed on you and your family, too. Large populations of fleas on dogs can actually cause anemia and, if eaten during grooming, fleas can give your dog tapeworms.

Ticks are deeply-dyed villains that can carry dangerous illnesses such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Babesiosis. Dogs should be checked after being outside during tick season and the ticks removed as quickly as possible - the longer a tick is biting your dog, the greater the chances of infection.

Mange mites can infest a dog's ears or the coat in general. These mites can cause extreme irritation and inflammation if untreated. Ironically, most pooches carry some mange mites on them from birth, but the creatures will simply live quietly on them in their hair follicles. However, if the body's balance is upset, the mites will gain the upper hand and cause discomfort and irritation. Body mites can cause large portion of the body to lose hair and ear mites can cause swelling and intense itching. Treatment is available for mites that can return your pup to …show more content…
Internal parasites can literally suck the lifeblood out of your pooch, leaving it weakened and unable to fight off illness. The only good news about internal parasites is that there is treatment available that will kill them.

Tapeworms are less likely to cause serious harm to your dog than other internal parasites. These segmented worms suck less blood out of the dog's body, and are visible in the stool or on your pet's bottom as resembling flattened grains of rice.

Roundworms are very common in dogs, and puppies often contract them from their mothers while still in the uterus or while nursing. Dogs will sometimes vomit up roundworms, and they can also cause diarrhea. Puppies are most at risk from roundworms and a bad infestation can actually be fatal. Roundworms can be spread to humans, especially children.

Whipworms can seriously impact your dog's health as these worms embed themselves in your dog's colon. Bloody diarrhea is a good sign that your dog may have these worms, and dehydration can

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