Dogs

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Health Care

WORMING

Intestinal worms

• Worm your puppy every 2 weeks from birth until 3 months of age then once a month to 6 months.
• Worm the bitch at the same time.
• By 6 months use an adult wormer.
• Worm adult dogs every 3 - 4 months for the rest of their lives.

Two of the dog intestinal worms are a potential source of infection for humans.

Roundworm is a common intestinal worm of the puppy but rarer in the adult dog. It is transmitted directly from the bitch to pups via the placenta and later via the milk and is the reason we worm pups so early in life. It has a complicated life cycle and part of it is spent moving through the host's body. Children are more susceptible than adult humans to infection with roundworm eggs and can have complications to the larval stages. Blindness and skin irritations are the most common problems. Puppies with heavy infections of roundworm tend to do poorly and usually look pot-bellied. A severe infection can block the intestinal tract. Pups should be wormed for their own health as well as to prevent the spread to humans.

The hydatid tapeworm is a major health risk to humans. In the dog it is a tiny tapeworm that does little harm to the host dog. In the human it causes a massive cyst in the liver which can leak and cause nasty immune reactions. It requires surgical removal. The dog develops hydatid tapeworm after eating raw sheep offal contaminated with its larval stage. The adult worm lives in the dog's intestinal tract where it sheds eggs into the dog's faeces. If a sheep eats the eggs the life-cycle is completed and the larvae stay dormant in the sheep's liver until a dog eats them. Humans are infected from the dog usually by patting an infected dog and then ingesting the eggs. Working sheep dogs are at risk in certain areas in Australia , Tasmania , partly due to its lack or foxes and dingoes, is totally hydatid free. At risk dogs should be wormed every 6 weeks with droncit or drontal wormer and dogs should never be fed raw offal.

For adult dogs use a broad-spectrum wormer often called an All-Wormer or a 4 in 1 wormer. Resistance does occur where the worms are no longer killed by the medication. For that reason at least once a year use a medication different to your usual one (look at the active ingredients not the name). Choose a tablet that does tapeworm as this worm is transmitted by fleas and is extremely common.

There are now many all-in-one products which will kill fleas and worms together, the better of these are the "spot-on" type products which are applied to the back of the neck.

Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis)

Canine heartworm is a small long spaghetti-like worm that lives in the right chamber of the heart and in the major arteries to the lungs. In severe infections it can back up into the veins of the liver. It is transmitted by mosquitoes, and was brought over from America about 40 years ago and started in the northern states. It has been in Melbourne for about 20 years. At the moment there is a 5 % chance of an unprotected dog becoming infected. The incidence is higher in the wetter Eastern suburbs (20 %) while around the bay it is lower (2 %). The incidence in the northern suburbs averages out at 5 %. Indoor dogs have less risk than outdoor dogs. The spread of heartworm has been reduced due to extending drought conditions around Melbourne in the past 6 years. When wetter summer conditions prevail, the disease will surface as a major problem.

FLEA CONTROL

Fleas

• Most common and successful parasite of dogs and cats.
• Difficult to control without a planned approach.
• The most common cause of allergic skin problems.
• Some animals are allergic to flea saliva and show skin problems despite no apparent evidence of fleas.
• Fleas come from an infected environment, not animals.
• One untreated flea-infested hotspot area may be enough to cause major problems.
• Treat all animals in the household and areas where they sleep.
• Maintenance is important to avoid reinfestation from external sources.

Adult Fleas

• Once hatched they must feed, so they actively seek a host.
• Females lays 5 - 20 eggs at a time and 400 - 500 during a lifetime.
• They leave dark grit on the host (digested blood) as food for their young.
• Most of the life cycle is spent away from the host.
• The entire life cycle is 3 weeks to months depending on temperature and humidity.
• Fleas can jump long distances and readily attach themselves to animals moving through infested environments.

Flea Eggs

• Laid on the host and roll off into the environment.
• Hatch in 1 - 10 days, depending on temperature and humidity.

Larvae

Move down and away from light and traffic areas.

• Live under furniture, in carpets/cracks/soil and especially near where your animal lies and sleeps.
• This stage lasts between 5 - 11 days.
• Heat and drying will kill them.

Pupae

• Difficult to control.
• May live several centimetres below the surface in soil, carpet etc. where they are protected.
• If warm and moist conditions prevail, pupae will emerge in 5 days and peak at 8 - 9 days.
• If protected from drying pupae can survive up to 140 days in the environment.

Pre-emerged Adults

• They can hatch in less than 1 second.
• All fleas reach this stage then hatch when stimulated, for example by vibration, which results in a "plague" of fleas after your return from holidays.

How do I tell if my dog has fleas?

Not all dogs itch when they have fleas but fleas are the commonest cause of skin problems in dogs. Fleas appear to be most common on the lower back and around the tail base. Also look on the belly and inside of the thighs. Look for small, crawling insects among the hairs and tiny black flecks. These flecks are the dropping of the fleas and consist of digested blood. Another way of finding fleas is to place your dog on a white surface or cloth, and to ruffle the coat or groom it with a fine comb. The flea dirt will be dislodged and show plainly against the white background. If the surface is damp then the flea dirt will dissolve and an obvious blood stain will appear.

What harm do fleas cause?

• Severe flea burdens in puppies can cause anaemia and sometimes death.
• Fleas transmit the commonest species of tapeworm.
• Flea-bites are irritating and make your dog's skin itchy. Your dog will feel uncomfortable and restless.
• Continual scratching and biting can further damage the skin and cause weeping, scabbing and infection. This makes him scratch even more. The problem has a snowballing effect.
• Fleas bite people causing itching.

Why do some dogs suffer more than others do?

Just as some people have allergies to pollen, cosmetics, bee stings and other things, some dogs are allergic to flea saliva and develop a very itchy local reaction when a flea bites their skin. As few as one flea is enough to make him very itchy and once the dog starts scratching the further damage causes the dog to be even itchier and the dog scratches more which causes further damage which makes the dog itch more which causes further damage... Get the picture!

If your dog is allergic to fleas then it only takes one to start the process.

Fighting fleas

•  Know your enemy!
Fleas are not "host-specific". This means that any given flea is just as happy living on your dogs, your cats or you! So dogs can be a reservoir of fleas for cats and vice-versa. Therefore, all dogs and cats in the household must be treated together. One untreated dog or cat will harbor enough fleas to re- infest all the other pets.
•  Most of the flea's life cycle is spent off the animal.

The life cycle of adult flea-eggs-larvae-pupae-adult fleas can take anywhere from 3 weeks to a year, and is fastest in warmer weather. The eggs drop off the dog or cat and mature in the environment . Fleas can live for months away from the pet. This means that the flea population on your dog is the tip of the iceberg. Just killing the fleas on your pet is not enough . There are hoards of eggs, immature fleas and adults lying in wait in his basket, his rug, the carpet, the furniture, the cushions and any dry dusty areas such as under the house or in the tan bark. In short anywhere your pet goes there will be fleas and they will be back onto him if you do not kill these fleas in the environment. Cats often go outside their home area and bring back fleas to undo all your hard work.

•  The dog

•  Flea powder

Flea powders need to be applied regularly to effective. If the container says once a week it needs to be once a week. Fluff up the coat and apply all over, then using a damp cloth wipe off the excess. Flea powder can be used on bedding as well. "Seven Dust" is recommended from 4 weeks of age in puppies. Other products may be stronger but can't be used until 3 or 4 months.

Rinses

Rinses only kill adult fleas and vary in strength and toxicity. "Fidos" rinse is pyrethrin-based and one of the safer rinses. It is recommended from 4 weeks of age. Using the instructions on the box it can be made up as a spray.

Sprays

Sprays are applied in the same way as powders. "Ovitrol" also has an active ingredient that disrupts the life cycle off the host while "Frontline" remains effective for up to 12 weeks and does not wash off unless your pet is repeatedly bathed. Unfortunately some dogs hate sprays.

Flea collars

Herbal flea collars are available as well as the more traditional types. Puppy collars are made with pyrrinthrines. Other types are age dependent. Flea's collars seem to do better on cats and small dogs only.

Tablets and syrups

All these products require the flea to bite the dog to get the poison. For dogs with flea allergy dermatitis you don't want the dog to be bitten and these products are therefore better avoided.

Program

"Program" is an unusual product as it doesn't kill adult fleas but causes the female flea to become sterile. Eggs are laid but they don't hatch. If a larval stage bites the protected dog it is unable to moult onto the next stage and, hence, dies. It is a very safe product. It comes as oral doses (packs contain 6 months supply). Where flea burdens are high program is used with another product that kills adult fleas. The flea must bite the animal to obtain the toxin.

Capstar

"Capstar" is a product designed to kill all the fleas on the cat (or dog) rapidly. Any fleas feeding on your pet are dead in half an hour. It has been designed to be used with other products (especially Program) and is also ideal if you are moving your cat into a flea-free environment such as a new house.

Frontline Top Spot and Advantage

These two products are newcomers to the market. They are placed into the fur at the back of the neck and need to be reapplied monthly. Advantage can be applied to the bitch and the pups will obtain protection from the compound rubbing onto their coat. Advantage binds to the fur while Frontline binds to the fat layer. This means that Advantage is shed with the coat and will clear the environment of larval stages like Program does, while Frontline can't be washed off with bathing. Frontline is definitely the best choice on the market to kill adult fleas for dogs that swim. Advantage is registered in pregnant and lactating bitches, and in very young pups. It would be the choice for these situations or where the dog is not bathed often and the owner wants activity against adult fleas on the dog and in the environment (it binds to the fur and where it is shed it will kill larvae and stop eggs hatching). They are both excellent products and while scientifically different they are functionally extremely similar.

Revolution

Launched October 1999 this is a combination product for fleas, heartworm and ear mites in cats and dogs, and sarcoptic mange on dogs and some intestinal worms in cats. It is applied as a spot-on and statically it is very effective against adult fleas. (Frontline, Advantage and Revolution behaved equally well in Revolution's trials with 99 - 100% effect on adult fleas. All products take roughly 12 hours to begin to work whether when first applied to a dog or if the flea hops on a treated dog.) It is water fast after 2 hours and does have larvical and egg killing effects off the dog. It is also 100 % against heartworm and will remove ear mites and sarcoptic mange with 2 doses. It is available only through vets as an over-the-counter preparation but expect to pay about a 1/3 more than say purchasing Frontline and one of the monthly heartworm tablets.

•  The environment
Regular cleaning and washing does help to control flea numbers. Where fleas are a problem either use a product on your dog that controls the fleas in the environment or treat the environment directly. "Foggers" released in the house bind to soft furnishings and are effective for up to 10 months (these products have been associated with house fires and it is important to turn off gas heating or pilot lights when using them). Professional pest control companies will also spray the entire house. Under the house is extremely difficult to treat directly and is best blocked off. Also avoid the use of thick padded cushions for bedding that absorb and protect fleas and the use of carpet on kennel floors. All bedding needs to be easily removable and washable.

In a recent seminar given by a veterinary skin specialist it was recommended that a combination of products be used where fleas are a problem. This increased the chance of good control and prevented the fleas developing resistance to a product. What was suggested was the use of Program or foggers to clear the environment, with adult flea control of either a spray or Frontline. Most of these dogs were being washed up to every day which is why Advantage was not recommended. The sprays recommended were of low toxicity and reapplied after every wash. If your dog has severe skin problems then you should discuss with your veterinarian what products to use and how often to use them.

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