Parasites of Dogs and Cats: Skin, Urinary System, Musculature, Trematodes, and Lungworms

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering parasites of the skin, urinary system, musculature, trematodes (flukes), and lungworms in dogs and cats.

Dracunculus insignis

A skin parasite of dogs, cats, and raccoons (primary host), where adult females grow up to $120\,m$ and males to $4\,cm$, migrating to the skin of the legs.

Cyclops

A genus of copepod crustaceans serving as the intermediate host for Dracunculus insignis, harboring the infective $L_3$ larva.

Dracunculus insignis L1 Larvae

First-stage larvae produced by female Dracunculus insignis worms that are ingested by copepod intermediate hosts.

Dracunculus medinensis

A tissue parasite found in humans, commonly known as the Guinea worm.

Pearsonema (Capillaria) plica and Pearsonema (Capillaria) feliscati

Parasites of the urinary system in dogs and cats that utilize the earthworm as an intermediate host containing $L_1$ larvae; heavy infections cause cystitis.

Pearsonema (Capillaria) plica Egg

A double-plugged egg passed in the urine of infected dogs, identified through urine sediment examination.

Dioctyophyma renale

The giant kidney worm of dogs; treated by surgical removal of adult worms and the affected kidney.

Dioctyophyma renale Egg

An egg excreted in canine urine measuring approximately $80\,\mu m$ long, which typically contains two cells.

Dioctyophyma renale (Abdominal Cavity Specimen)

Adult giant kidney worm located in the abdominal cavity of an infected dog.

Dioctyophyma renale (Renal Specimen)

Adult giant kidney worm occupying and destroying host renal tissue within a dog kidney.

Trichinella spiralis

A parasite that encysts within the skeletal muscle of hosts such as pigs, bears, and rodents; diagnosed via muscle biopsy for $L_1$ larvae.

Nanophyetus salmincola

Small white flukes ($0.5\text{--}1.5\,mm$) residing in the small intestines of dogs, cats, coyotes, foxes, and bears, characterized by an oral sucker, ventral sucker, and genital pore.

Neorickettsia helminthoeca

A rickettsial agent carried by Nanophyetus salmincola that causes enteritis, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia.

Nanophyetus salmincola Egg

A multicellular fluke egg possessing a single operculum, diagnosed using fecal sedimentation.

Alaria canis and Alaria marcianae

Large intestinal flukes with a distinct forebody and hindbody infecting dogs (Alaria canis) and cats (Alaria marcianae), leading to enteritis and lung inflammation with bleeding.

Alaria Life Cycle

An indirect life cycle involving miracidium, cercaria, mesocercaria, diplostomulum, and adult fluke stages.

Alaria Egg

A large, multicellular egg featuring a single operculum, identified via fecal sedimentation or acid-ethyl acetate sedimentation.

Platynosomum fastosum

Small flukes ($<1\,cm$ long) located in the bile and pancreatic ducts of cats in the Southern United States and Caribbean, causing hepatic dysfunction.

Armadillidium vulgare

The pill bug (roly-poly) that acts as the second intermediate host for Platynosomum fastosum, capable of body rolling via conglobation.

Platynosomum Egg

An egg containing a miracidium and a single operculum, detected using fecal sedimentation.

Schistosomatidae (Blood Flukes)

Blood flukes including Schistosoma and Heterobilharzia that infect dogs via cercariae, causing pathology in the liver and intestinal wall.

Capillaria aerophila (Eucoleus aerophilus)

Thin lungworms ($2.5\text{--}3\,cm$ long) residing in the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and nasal sinuses of dogs, cats, foxes, and wild carnivores.

Capillaria aerophila Egg

An egg containing an infective $L_1$ larva, identified through fecal flotation, tracheal wash, or bronchoalveolar lavage.

Crenosoma vulpis

A canine lungworm measuring approximately $2\,cm$ in length that utilizes gastropod intermediate hosts.

Lizard Poisoning in Cats

The clinical condition caused by severe Platynosomum fastosum infection resulting in hepatic dysfunction in felines.

Conglobation

The process by which pill bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) roll their bodies into a ball shape.