Internal Parasites of cat and dog

endoparasite

within an animal

gets nutrition and protection at host expense

may be transmitted

several types of organisms

five lifestyle questions for owners

pet go outside

own other pets with parasites

does pet travel

does pet get boarded

does pet go to daycare

dx of endoparasite

parasites in the geographical area

traveled to another geographical area

clinical signs

diarrhea/constipation, vomiting, blood in stool, unthrifty, lethargy, coughing/labored breathing

prepatent period

time between initial infection and when it can be diagnosed out

roundworms

intestines, skin, lungs, kidney, bladder, nervous tissue, musculature, blood

separate sexes

eggs common in feces

roundworm- toxocara

si

spherical eggs

zoonotic

kittens- transmammary

puppy- transplacental/transmammary

hookworm anyclostoma

si

warm climate

uncinaria species(US and Canada)

oval eggs

adults feed on blood- anemia in puppies and kittens

whipworm trichuris

canine cecum and feline colon

feline-rare

thick, yellow-brown, symmetrical shell, and polar plug egg

hard to diagnose

lungworm- Capillaria aerophilia/bohmi

trachea and bronchi

smaller egg then whipworm

Dipyidium caninum

si

most common tape workm

motile, gravid proglottids

ingest flea

Taenia

motile gravid prolottids

2nd most common tapeworm

ingestion of uncooked tissue- mice small mammals

protozoa

unicellular

infect variety of tissues

most commonly detected in blood and fecals

coccidia- Isopora

si

coccidiosis in puppies/kittens

diarrhea

oocyst- diagnostic stage

Toxoplasma gondii

PP- 5-24 days

ingesting raw/undercooked meat/veggies or infective eggs

eggs >1yr in soil

Toxoplasmosis gondii- cat

shed eggs few weeks after infection

DH

direct transmission to people

eggs become infective 24hrs to 5 days after being shed

titer

Giardia

flagellated protozoa

si

diarrhea

trophozoite

resistant cyst stage

fresh fecal to detect

Fecal sample

fresh as possible, refrigerated

immediately after defecation

clean container

fecal loop

proper labeling

2-5g

exam of fecal sample

handle with care-ppe

clean lab area

accurate records

Gross exam of feces

color, consistency, blood, mucus, parasites

microscopic exam of feces

fecal float

fecal smear

antigen test

fecal culture

staining

flotation solution

based of sg of parasitic material and fecal debris

sg

weight of object compared to weight of an equal volume of water

measuring sg of flotation solution with hydrometer

allows eggs, oocysts, other life stages to float since sg of solution is higher

flotation solution

sodium nitrate, sugar solution, zinc sulfate

Baermann technique

active migration/movement in larvae

antigen testing- guardia

accurate

any color change positive

number of cysts shed in not proportional to parasite burden