WORMING:

Nearly all dogs and cats get worms and even animals which look in tip-top condition can carry them. A pet with worms can be quite difficult to diagnose as it may not show any outward signs of ill health. It is important to worm your animals regularly as some types can occasionally be dangerous to human health.

Is it worms?
If you see any worms on your animal, collect samples, wrap them up in damp cotton wool and take them to the vet who will be able to identify them and treat the animal accordingly.

If your dog or cat starts losing weight and its coat becomes coarse or harsh, this could be a sign that unwelcome visitors have arrived. Infected puppies and kittens often have a distended abdomen. A dog or cat dragging itself about on its rear or licking its bottom is quite likely to be infected. This behaviour may alternatively be due to impacted or infected anal glands.

Is it a roundworm?
Roundworms are pinky-white and curled like a thin coiled rope. If your animal is infected, you will probably be able to see the roundworm in faeces or vomit. The eggs are so tiny they can't be seen. Most dogs carry Toxocara canis - a common roundworm.

In adult dogs the roundworm has a complicated life cycle. It grows from larva to adult worm inside the body. Worms and eggs are passed out in the faeces where the eggs develop into larvae. Another dog eats the larvae and the life cycle begins all over again.

Roundworms can also lie dormant in the muscle tissue of bitches and queens and are activated during pregnancy. They can then pass across the placenta infecting unborn young. Puppies and kittens born with roundworms can become sick or even die if they are carrying lots of worms.

Puppies and kittens should be treated against roundworm from a few weeks old, please ask for advice at reception.

Is it a tapeworm? 
Tapeworms look like long strips and are made up of flat segments filled with eggs which break off. The segments can come out one at a time and visibly twitch and move. You can sometimes see them moving on the skin near the animal's anus or on the floor.

Dogs and cats are never born with tapeworms. One of the most common ways they pick them up is through fleas. Tapeworms can live in fleas which feed on the cat or dog. The animal then eats the flea when it grooms itself and the tapeworm continues life inside its new host. Common tapeworms do not usually infect humans.

All adult dogs and cats should be wormed against tapeworm every three months, whether you think they have them or not. Voracious feline hunters or canine hunters may need worming more regularly.

Worm worries.
Sometimes humans can be at risk from worms, so regular worming of companion animals is important. Toxocariasis is an infection spread by roundworm eggs. This usually occurs in children who, by playing outside, can pick up infective stages of the parasite on their hands.

Roundworm eggs take about three weeks to become infectious - so only old dog mess can be risky. The eggs can remain infectious for up to two years.

Sometimes these eggs develop into larvae which lodge behind the retina in the eye and cause damage or even blindness. To stop this happening, worm pets regularly, wash children's hands thoroughly before they eat and clean up after your dog with a poop scoop.

The best way to stop worm infestation is to use a specific worming preparation (tablet, liquid, spot-on fluid or paste) in conjunction with an anti-flea preparation. We can also advise you on this.

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FLEAS:

Is your cat or dog scratching? Can you see tiny brown specks in its fur? Or are there small brown or black insects scurrying about? Do you have any unexplained insect bites yourself? A yes to any of these questions could mean unwelcome visitors - FLEAS...

Fleas can be a problem even in the best kept homes and on the cleanest pets.  You can control them, as long as you treat both your pet and your home. Fleas live and feed on pets. After feeding on your pet's blood the female flea lays eggs which drop into the animal's bedding or favourite resting place. The highest concentration of eggs, larvae and pupae are likely to be in these areas rather than on the animal itself.

Did you know... fleas can lay up to 20 eggs per day and 1,500 in its lifetime.

What's more it's not just the flea bites that can make your pet scratch - they can also be allergic to the flea saliva. This is called flea-bite hypersensitivity. Cats are particularly susceptible and can develop itchy crusty spots throughout their coats. This is one cause of a condition called miliary dermatitis and can be initiated by just one flea.

Did you know... the flea's life cycle may be as short as 14 days or as long as 12 months.

Adult fleas prefer to live on the animal and their diet consists of blood meals courtesy of the host animal. The female flea lays white, slightly oval eggs. The adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, 500-600 eggs over several months.

EGG: Eggs are laid on the animal, but are quite smooth and easily fall off into the environment. The eggs are not sticky (like some parasites), and they usually fall off of the animal into the carpet, bedding, floorboards, and soil. When the flea egg hatches varies -- anywhere from two days to a few weeks, depending on environmental conditions. The larva emerges from the egg using a chitin tooth, a hard spine on the top of the head that disappears as the flea matures.

LARVA (plural = larvae): The larval stage actually has three developmental stages within this stage. Larvae are about 1/4" (6.35 mm) long, and semi-transparent white. They have small hairs along their body and actively move. They eat the faeces of adult fleas (which is mostly dried blood) and other organic debris found in the carpet, bedding, and soil. Depending on the amount of food present and the environmental conditions, the larval stage lasts about 5 to 18 days (longer in some cases) then the larva spins a silken cocoon and pupates.

PUPA (plural = pupae): The third stage of the flea larva makes a cocoon where the adult flea develops. The egg, larval, and pupal stages almost always take place in the environment off of the animal, where the microenvironment is often ideal for growth. These larvae and cocoons are found deep in carpeted areas or areas with a layer of organic material (e.g., a garden or flower bed). They are protected from insecticides in this hard-to-reach area. The pupa is the last stage before adult. The adult flea can emerge from the cocoon as early as 3 to 5 days, or it can stay in the cocoon for a year or more, waiting for the right time to emerge. When is the right time? (Never, say pet lovers everywhere!) Stimuli such as warm ambient temperatures, high humidity, even the vibrations and carbon dioxide emitted from a passing animal will cause the flea to emerge from the cocoon faster. This brings us back to the adult flea.

Adult fleas hatch from the cocoon when proper stimulation is present. The stimuli include: vibration, increased carbon dioxide levels, heat, and motion. The adult can emerge from the cocoon in a very short time period...less than a second....and immediately jump to find a proper host. Once on the host they feed on blood obtained by biting through the skin.

An egg may develop into an adult flea within 14 days if conditions are ideal. Each fertilized female may lay as many as 25 eggs per day....more than 800 in her lifetime. In just thirty days, 25 adult female fleas can multiply to as many as a quarter of a million fleas!

The best way to stop fleas is to pay us a visit and we will recommend products suitable to treat your cat, dog and your home. Make sure you follow all the instructions to the letter for maximum effect.

Regular cleaning of bedding combined with thorough vacuuming of furniture and floors particularly around skirting boards will help to destroy each stage of the flea's life cycle. You should throw away the dustbag from your vacuum after each use to prevent any flea eggs and larvae from developing.

Did you know... the larvae which develop from flea eggs can become infected with tapeworm eggs. If your pet eats an infected flea, it can also become host to this parasite.

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FIREWORKS:

During the fireworks season, at nightfall, close all windows and curtains and put on some music to mask and muffle the fireworks sounds.

Provide an area for your pet to hide if they want.

Feed your pet BEFORE the fireworks begin so that they feel satisfied and more likely to rest.

If your dog or cat shows any signs of fear, try to ignore its behaviour unless there is imminent danger - for example, if it is likely to self-harm.

Never show anger to your dog or cat if it appears frightened - this will only convince your pet that there really is something to be afraid of!

Do not fuss over or try to reassure your dog or cat when it is frightened.

Make sure your dog or cat is kept in a safe and secure environment at all times, so that it can't bolt and escape in reaction to a sudden noise. If you have had your pet microchipped you will certainly improve the chances of a safe return if it does escape.

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MANGE:

Mange is a parasitic skin disease caused by microscopic mites. Two different mange mites cause skin disease in dogs. One (the Demodex mite) resides in the hair follicles, while the other (the Sarcoptic mite) lives just under the surface of the skin.

Sarcoptic Mange or Scabies

The presence of the sarcoptic mite causes severe itching which often looks like severe eczema. The dog will chew and scratch its skin constantly. This leads to a loss of large amounts of hair.

Sarcoptes often starts first on the ears and legs, particularly the elbows and hocks, but can rapidly spread over the legs, shoulders, ears and under the abdomen, and on to cover the whole body in severe cases. Eventually the skin will become thickened and will darken due to pigmentation. Affected skin in active areas can seep rancid smelling serum which often becomes secondarily infected with bacteria and fungi.

Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious to other dogs. It is also contagious to humans. The dogs bedding should be discarded or, if this is not possible, it should be washed and then sprayed with a veterinary insecticide. Your veterinary surgeon will advise you and supply the correct one to use. Although the mites are not able to complete their life cycle on people, they will burrow into the skin and cause uncomfortable itching before they finally die.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is not always easy as the disease looks very much like allergic eczema. Skin scrapings are performed and examined under the microscope for mites or mite eggs.

Treatment

Treatment is with a specific mange wash and is normally done at 1-2 weekly intervals. Two treatments may be all that is required, although sometimes treatment will continue for several months.

If bacterial infection is also present, antibiotics will be prescribed.

Demodectic Mange

Demodectic mange is sometimes just called Demodex. It is caused by the Demodex mange mite, a parasite which lives in the hair follicles of affected dogs. Under the microscope, this mite appears shaped like an alligator with eight legs. All dogs (and many humans) have a few of these mites on their skin. As long as the body's immune system is functioning, these mites cause no harm.

Demodectic mange most often occurs when the dog has an immature immune system, allowing the mites to grow rapidly. Therefore, this disease occurs primarily in dogs aged less than 18 months. In most cases as the dog matures, the immune system also matures. Adult dogs that have the disease usually have defective immune systems.

Since the mite is found on virtually all dogs, exposure of a normal healthy dog to one with demodectic mange is not dangerous.

Signs of the disease

Surprisingly, a dog with demodectic mange does not itch severely, even though it loses hair in patches. Areas of bare skin will be seen. The hair loss usually begins on the face, especially around the eyes. When there are only a few patches of hair loss, it is termed localised demodectic mange. If the disease spreads to many areas of the skin, it becomes generalised demodectic mange. It may become itchy if the skin becomes infected with bacteria or yeasts. We can check for these if necessary.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made in most cases by the laboratory examination of skin scrapings as is Sarcoptes. As the mite can get 2-3mm below the skin surface in the follicles, deep scrapings are necessary. Sometimes it may be necessary to take a skin biopsy to confirm infection.

Treatment

The localised form is usually treated with topical medication and clears easily. The generalised form may require more intensive treatment.

Wash with an anti-Demodex shampoo. It is important that the solution is diluted according to instructions on the bottle and scrubbed into all of the skin. It is essential for you to wear gloves while applying the solution. The product can have side effects on the dog and you if not used properly. Some dogs may appear sleepy for a few hours after the bath.

These two treatments are repeated every 5-7 days until the mites are eliminated. This can take anywhere from weeks to several months. We will keep a regular check on you and your dog and advise you when to stop. After the treatment it will be necessary to examine your dog for the presence of live mites or eggs.

Vitamin E can be taken as tablets or capsules and helps stimulate the immune system.

Prognosis

Treatment of the localised form is generally successful. Treatment of the generalised form is also usually successful, but takes time and perseverance. However if the immune system is defective, neither the mites nor the skin infection may respond to treatment.

Finally

Demodectic mange can be one of the most frustrating conditions to treat in the dog. In young animals it can keep returning until the immune system is mature enough to keep the mites in check. It is important that you and your veterinary surgeon work together to help keep it under control and ultimately to cure it. We as a profession only want the best in treatment for your dog, and are fully aware that the time involved in the treatment of mange can be frustrating for all involved (including the dog!!). To this end, please keep your appointments and follow up treatments as requested, and if you are frustrated let us know!

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ALLERGIES:

We have all seen or experienced the symptoms of hay fever during the summer months -  stuffy and runny noses and watery eyes. These symptoms are caused by allergies.

Dogs can also be allergic to the same things as humans, but instead of hay fever they have itchy skin problems and ear infections. If irritation and inflammation become severe, bacterial and fungal infections can also occur. The whole condition is known as atopy. There are a number of different culprits that can cause atopy.

Springtime is often when the start of itchy skin is seen as this coincides with the release of tree pollens. Itching can get worse during the summer depending on the rate at which pollen is released from different plants. As pollens can be carried for many miles on the wind, it may not be the plants in the pet’s immediate surroundings that are causing a problem and it is often several different plant species rather than just one that cause the problem.

Allergies to dust mites and fleas tend to cause year round allergies rather than just in the summer months. Food can also sometimes cause allergies. Reducing symptoms by avoiding pollen is virtually impossible, so usually a number of different treatments need to be used, often in combination, to control the symptoms. Sometimes we can even use special immunotherapy vaccines that desensitise the animal to the offending allergens, although they don’t work in all cases. Unfortunately, as yet, we are unable to cure an allergy.

If your pet has any skin problems, you should always take them to see one of our vets, as an itchy skin problem can be very distressing and uncomfortable for the pet.

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