Disease & Parasite ID:

Dog

Diseases

Canine Distemper• Description:

▫ Contagious, viral illness caused by the Morbillivirus

• How is it contracted?:▫ Spread through air and direct

and indirect contact with infected animals and materials

• Symptoms:▫ High fever, reddened eyes,

watery discharge from nose and eyes, lethargy, anorexia, persistent couging/vomiting/diarrhea

▫ Later stages can include seizures, paralysis and hysteria

• Prevention:▫ Distemper vaccine

Canine Parvovirus• Description:

▫ Highly contagious, viral disease, which most severely affects the intestinal tract.

▫ Attacks the white blood cells, and can damage the heart muscle and cause lifelong cardiac problems

• How is it contracted?▫ Spread through contact with

infected animal feces• Symptoms:

▫ lethargy, severe vomiting, loss of appetite and bloody, foul-smelling diarrhea that can lead to life-threatening dehydration

• Prevention:▫ Parvovirus vaccine▫ Clean environment

Kennel Cough (Tracheobronchitis)• Description:

▫ Very highly contagious respiratory disease among dogs caused by the Bordetella bronchiseptica (parainfluenza virus) and mycoplasma bacteria

• How is it contracted?▫ Contact w/infected animal,

typically in cogested/highly populated areas (kennels, clinics, pet stores, dog parks etc.)

• Symptoms:▫ Dry, hacking cough leading to

vomiting/retching▫ Watery nasal discharge

• Prevention:▫ Bordetella vaccine▫ Limit boarding/kennel-like

environment

Rabies• Description:

▫ Zoonotic viral disease of the nervous system

• How is it contracted?▫ Contracted through the

bites/scratches of infected animals (specifically through their saliva) which carries the virus

• Symptoms:▫ CNS abnormalities, such as

loss of coordination▫ Extreme behavior changes ,

such as aggression• Prevention:

▫ Vaccination

Canine Brucellosis• Description:

▫ Zoonotic, bacterial infection which affects the reproductive organs of both male and female dogs, caused by the Brucella canis bacteria

• How is it contracted▫ Spread by body fluids (both sexual fluids

and urine)▫ Airborne transmission is very rare but has

been reported. ▫ The disease spreads quickly among dogs

that are kept in closely confined areas especially during breeding times and when abortions occur.

• Symptoms:▫ Abortion in 3rd trimester of pregnancy▫ Conception failures▫ Inflammation of reproductive organs and

lymph nodes• Prevention:

▫ Avoid contact w/infected animals▫ Test before breeding▫ Routine disinfecting of facilities

Salmonellosis• Description:

▫ Zoonotic bacterial disease, caused by Salmonella bacteria

• How is it contracted?▫ Through contact w/salmonella

bacteria which is on the skin of reptiles

and amphibians Dirty environment

• Symptoms:▫ Gastroenteritis (stomach upset)▫ Fever, diarrhea, vomiting▫ Miscarriage/spontaneous

abortion in dogs• Prevention:

▫ Wash hands after contact w/reptiles

▫ Clean environment

Heart Disease• Description:

▫ Chronic, congestive heart failure caused by old age, injury , infection or genetics

• What causes it?▫ Non-contagious▫ Can be caused by diet and

exercise factors, old age, injury or infection

• Symptoms:▫ Coughing▫ Difficulty breathing▫ Lack of energy▫ Pacing/hard time settling down▫ Later symptoms include swollen

belly, fainting, pale to bluish gray gums and tongue, weight loss

• Prevention:▫ Provide proper diet and exercise

Cataracts• Description:

▫ Opacity in the lens of a dog’s eye, causing blurry vision and, if left untreated, blindness.

• What causes it?▫ Can develop from disease, old

age and trauma to the eye, but inherited conditions are the most common cause, especially with diabetes.

• Symptoms:▫ Dog’s eyes look cloudy or bluish-

gray▫ Disorientation/signs vision

difficulty• Prevention:

▫ Examine dog’s eyes regularly for cloudiness

▫ Do not breed dogs with a history of cataracts

Arthritis• Description:

▫ Inflammation of the joints• What causes it?

▫ Degeneration of the joints and synovial fluid in joints due to age or previous injury

• Symptoms:▫ Dog “slows down”▫ Trouble w/normal activities

(jumping on couch, going up stairs, playing at the dog park etc.)

▫ Limping/Stiffness• Prevention:

▫ Joint supplements (fish oil, glucosamine/chondroitin) – begin as early at 5 years old

Ringworm • Description:

▫ Zoonotic Fungal skin disease

• How is it contracted?▫ Spread through contact

with infection animal or materials exposed to infected animal

• Symptoms:▫ Round, scaly encrusted

lesions w/hair loss• Prevention:

▫ Clean environment and supplies

Blastomycosis• Description:

▫ systematic yeastlike fungal infection caused by the organism Blastomyces dermatitidis, commonly found in decaying wood and soil (fungus thrives in wet conditions)

• How is it contracted?▫ Dog inhales airborne fungal spores

after contaminated soil has been disturbed from digging/following scent trail

▫ Spores can also enter through skin▫ Direct exposure to pus leaking from

wound• Symptoms:

▫ Fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, eye discharge & inflammation, difficulty breathing, skin lesions filled with pus

• Prevention:▫ Avoid areas where exposure is high

risk (woods, swamps, lakes)▫ Avoid animals with open wounds

Parasites

Ascarids/Roundworms• Description:

▫ Zoonotic, internal parasites that affects dogs and cats intestinal system

• How is it contracted?▫ Contact w/parasite in

unclean environment• Symptoms/Complications:

▫ Fever, headache, cough, poor appetite

• Prevention:▫ Deworm pets▫ Good sanitation

Hookworm• Description:

▫ Small, thin intestinal worms that attach to an anima’s small intestines

• How is it contracted?▫ Migration through the placenta

in utero▫ Ingesting infected mother’s milk▫ Ingesting larvae in the soil▫ Direct penetration of the skin

through pads of feet▫ Ingesting an intermediate host

• Symptoms/Complications:▫ Severe blood loss▫ Malnutrition▫ Bloody wine-dark or tar-dark

diarrhea• Prevention:

▫ Deworm pets▫ Good sanitation

Whipworms• Description:

▫ 2” to 3” long, threadlike worm that fastens to the wall of last part of the small intestine and the first part of the large intestine

▫ Thicker on one end, giving them a “whip-like” appearance

▫ Eggs can live in environment for 5 years

• How is it contracted?▫ Ingesting infected matter▫ Exposure to infected animal or

materials• Symptoms/Complications:

▫ Dog has sense of “urgency” to go to bathroom and may strain to defecate

▫ Diarrhea (can be bloody and covered in mucous)

▫ Heavy infestations can lead to anemia, weight loss and lethargy

• Prevention:▫ Deworm pets▫ Good sanitation▫ Remove stool from yard

Tapeworm• Description:

▫ Internal worm that lives in the small intestine and can range from several inches to several feet

• How is it contracted?▫ Ingesting fleas or infected feces,

animals or meat• Symptoms/Complications:

▫ May cause AHD (Alveolar Hydatid Disease) – can be fatal or produce parasitic tumors/cysts in the liver

▫ White segments of worm moving on anus/rectal area of animal or on their feces

▫ Anal itching• Prevention:

▫ Flea prevention▫ Avoid feeding uncooked meat,

raw game or dead animals

Heartworms• Description:

▫ Large worms develop from larvae in the heart and major blood vessels

▫ Can reach up to 12” in length▫ Live for 5-7 years▫ Dogs can have as many as 250 worms

in their heart at a time▫ Can migrate to lungs

• How is it contracted?▫ Through bite of mosquito, infected

with microfilaria (larvae) • Symptoms/Complications:

▫ Incubation period: Do not appear until 6 months after bite from mosquito (larvae mature)

▫ Cough▫ Animal becomes easily winded▫ Loss of consciousness/passes out▫ Death

• Prevention:▫ Annual heartworm test▫ Heartworm preventative medication