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It's with the warmth of spring, and soon summer, that our dear friends the parasites arrive. So it's also at this time of year that your dog or cat's risk of parasitism skyrockets! Here's what you need to know to understand the importance of protecting your pets from parasites.
First of all, what is a parasite? A parasite is an organism that feeds and develops on a host, without causing its death. In Quebec, the most common parasites found in pets are ticks, fleas, intestinal worms and heartworms.
Ticks are parasitic mites that feed on the blood of their host. The most common species in Quebec is the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also known as the deer tick. This is the tick that transmits Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, sometimes both at the same time. For transmission to occur, the tick must remain attached to the animal for a minimum of 24 to 36 hours following the bite, and must itself be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria in the case of Lyme disease, or with Anaplasma bacteria in the case of anaplasmosis. The risk period is between March and November, or simply as soon as the temperature rises above 4°C! Ticks are generally found in woodlands and parks, or on tall grass and fallen leaves. That's why it's important to check your pets' coats regularly and remove any ticks you find. To do this, simply take a small pair of pliers or a TickTwister-type tick remover and gently remove the tick from the head. It's important not to crush the abdomen, as this could cause the contents to spill back into the host! With antiparasitics, ticks die very soon after ingesting the animal's blood. This considerably reduces the risk of transmission of tick-related diseases!
Fleas are small, wingless insects that jump onto animals to feed on their blood. The most common species in Quebec is Ctenocephalides felis or cat flea. Fleas can cause itching, allergies and anemia if the infestation is very severe. They can even transmit tapeworms to the host! Signs to look out for when your pet is infested include severe itching, which can lead to redness or hair loss, dermatitis caused by an allergy to flea saliva, and the presence of "black dust" in the coat, which is actually flea excrement. The risk period is from April to November, but can also be outside these months if the animal lives in a heated area. Fleas are transmitted from one animal to another via the coat, but also via carpets, draperies or rugs. However, most infestations originate in the environment! Fleas are often very difficult to eliminate without topical or oral antiparasitics, as they reproduce very quickly. In fact, did you know that an adult flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day?
The term "intestinal worms" covers a wide range of worms from several genera that invade the host's digestive tract as a habitat. The most common types in domestic animals are roundworms such as hookworms and Ascaris worms, whipworms (more common in dogs) and tapeworms such as Dipylidium caninum (transmitted by fleas). Worms are transmitted to cats and dogs by ingesting eggs or larvae on the ground, by contact with infected feces, or by eating fleas or rodents. Yes, your dog could pick up worms simply by sniffing or tasting another dog's feces on your morning walk! Puppies and kittens, meanwhile, can be contaminated in utero or via breast milk. That's why it's crucial to worm these little ones until they're 6 months old! The risk period for intestinal worms is all year round, but the rate of parasitism is much higher in spring and autumn, when temperatures are neither too cold nor too hot. Unfortunately, detecting these worms is not always obvious... For some, it's possible to observe worms in your pet's stools, but for others, stool analysis is necessary to confirm the presence of eggs. It's also worth noting that there is a high risk of zoonosis, i.e. the infection being transmitted to humans.
Heartworms refer to a type of roundworm, Dirofilaria immitis, whose microfilarial larvae migrate into the animal's heart and lungs. As adults, they can live there for several years. The accumulation of these worms in the blood vessels can eventually prevent the blood from circulating properly in these organs. Heart failure, which can prove fatal, is often the result. Heartworms are transmitted via mosquito bites, when they are in larval form. The risk period is from June to November, when mosquitoes are most active. Treatment for an infected dog is very long, risky for the dog's life, very costly and must be closely monitored by a veterinarian specialized in cardiology. But first of all, how do we know if Pitou's heart is harboring such worms? There's a quick and effective way to detect the presence of Dirofilaria in our pets: the 4Dx test. This is performed on a few milliliters of blood and indicates the presence or absence of heartworms, as well as Lyme disease, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia, another tick-borne bacterial disease. Veterinarians generally recommend that this test be carried out annually, so that any necessary treatment can be started as soon as possible in the event of a positive detection. What's more, administering certain antiparasitic drugs in regular doses to a dog infested with adult worms is very risky, as the sudden death of these worms can produce arterial plugs, completely obstructing the passage of blood...
It's for all these reasons that it's important to give your furry friends an antiparasitic treatment during the spring and summer seasons! Whether it's for protection against fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, heartworms, or all of the above, your Neovet veterinarians are here to advise you on the best antiparasitic for your pet. Remember, prevention is better than cure!
