1

1. To examine common small animal

parasites.
2. To describe symptoms of external
and internal parasites in small
animals.
3. To illustrate preventative methods
and treatment options concerning
parasites.
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 Include the following:

dogs
cats
rabbits
guinea pigs
hamsters
birds
3

 Include the following:

coccidiosis
roundworms
hookworms
whipworms
tapeworms
heartworms
4

 Is caused by protozoans called coccidia which

multiply in the intestinal tract of animals
Can be species specific
Is excreted in feces and transmitted through the
ingestion of either infected feces or intermediate
hosts such as rats
Affects young animals most frequently
Results in intestinal lesions, impaired growth and
loss of appetite
intermediate hosts the host in which a parasite undergoes
development but does not reach maturity
protozoan predominantly single celled organisms housing a
membrane bound nucleus and belonging to the
kingdom Protista

 Include the following:

diarrhea, often with blood or
mucous present
vomiting
loss of appetite
dehydration

 Includes general husbandry such as removing all

fecal material
Involves maintaining food and water so it will not
become contaminated with feces
Provide fresh water for animals at all times

husbandry the careful management of domestic

affairs or resources

 Transmitted through nursing and contact

with contaminated feces
Travel through the organs, get coughed
up, swallowed and mature in the small
intestines during the larval stage
Migrate to internal tissues and lay dormant
until the host becomes pregnant, then
infect the developing fetus
May go unnoticed due to tendency of
being asymptomatic
asymptomatic showing no evidence of disease

 Include the following:

expanded abdomen
diarrhea, may have roundworms
present
vomiting, may have roundworms
present
lethargy
loss of appetite
lethargy state of being drowsy, dull and unenergetic

 Includes bottle feeding of newborn animals

Involves treating pregnant and nursing animals
along with their babies regularly with a de-wormer
Consists of spraying the animals living area with
diluted bleach
Requires killing rats and mice as rodents are
potential carriers

de-wormer medicine used to cure an animal of worms

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 Requires regular administering of de-wormer

Should be administered under the direction of a
veterinarian
Cleans the infected animals system
Causes animals to excrete the roundworms,
which should be immediately cleaned up as they
could re-infect the animal

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 Are blood sucking parasites residing in the

small intestine
Are transmitted by eating infected larvae
which live in the environment and are
passed through feces or by penetrating the
skin and entering the blood stream
Cause death due to anemia and low
protein levels
Act asymptomatically
anemia a condition in which there is a deficiency of
hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying component of blood

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 Include the following:

black, tarry diarrhea
dark stool
lethargy
anemia
vomiting
irritated skin where hookworms
penetrated the body
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 Requires the quick removal of

feces
Includes treating newborns
biweekly for the first eight
weeks and adults every month
Involves testing animals with
anemia or a history of
hookworms at least once a year
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 May require hospitalization or a blood

transfusion
Involves placing animals on different
kinds of medication, including heartworm
preventative medication which has been
proven to kill hookworms
Requires long term surveillance as the
hookworms infiltrate the blood stream and
may remain in the body after initial
treatment
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 Live in the cecum of animals and act as

blood sucking parasites
Infect animals through the ingestion of
whipworm eggs in soil and other items
coming in contact with feces
Become infective one month after the eggs
are shed
Act asymptomatically
Are rarely seen in cats
cecum a pouch where the small intestine and large
intestine meet

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 Include the following:

diarrhea, may include fresh blood
weight loss
anemia

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 Involves quickly removing feces

Includes maintaining a long
term plan of surveillance and
treatment
Is difficult in animals previously
infected due to high resistance
of eggs which were laid in the
environment, especially soil
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 Is possible through
various oral medications
Requires administering
medication at three week
or three month intervals
due to the life cycle of
whipworms
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 Are the most common internal

parasite encountered
Are transmitted through
intermediate hosts, usually fleas,
who obtain the egg and then are
eaten by another animal
Are long and flat and attach to
the animals intestines
Act asymptomatically and rarely
cause serious disease
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 Include the following:

abdominal pain
hunger
mild weight loss
worms in feces

21

 Involves maintaining a
strict flea control program
Includes preventing the
ingestion of rodents
Requires keeping animals
from contact with
intermediate hosts
carrying tapeworm larvae

Fun Fact:
Tapeworms in
dogs can grow
over 20 inches in
length

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 Is possible through many

medications
Is normally treated with an
injection to rid the infection
within 24 hours
Rids the animal of current
infection but does not
prevent future infections
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 Are transmitted through

feeding mosquitoes who
deposit larvae
Inhabit the heart and large
vessels in the lungs when
mature
Are the most damaging
parasites in dogs
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 Include the following:

coughing
exercise intolerance
weight loss
difficulties breathing
obstructed blood flow by dying
worms
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 Involves administering
heartworm prevention
medication
Begins when animals are
about six to eight weeks old
Involves keeping animals
indoors, but it is not enough
alone for prevention
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 Involves injecting the

animal, usually dogs, with a
poison to kill the heartworm
Is usually not possible for
cats since the medication
may cause worse effects
than the disease

Fun Facts:
Heartworms
can live in dogs
for up to seven
years

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 Include the following:

fleas
ticks
earmites
sarcoptic mange
demodectic mange

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 Are small, wingless, bloodsucking insects acting

as parasites on warm blooded animals
Feed on hosts, mate and then lay hundreds of
eggs
Repeat life cycle in three weeks under favorable
conditions
Can go for two months without feeding

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 Include the following:

itching
patches of hair loss
red, irritated skin
anemia occurs with large
infestations

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 Indoors includes frequent vacuuming

and washing of materials where
animals spend a lot of time
Outside includes spraying areas
frequented by animals with
insecticides
Involves using flea control shampoo
and collars

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 Involves regularly following all

preventative measures inside,
outside and on an animal
Fun Fact:
Includes applying medication Fleas can
jump up to four
to the irritated portions of skin feet high
on an animal

32

 Are small parasitic arachnids which feed on the

blood of mammals, birds and reptiles
Carry diseases which can be transmitted to
animals and humans
Complete life cycle by mating, engorge from
feeding, then drop to the ground to lay eggs in the
environment

arachnids invertebrate animals characterized by four pairs of

segmented legs and a body divided into two
sections
engorge fill to excess with fluid, such as blood

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 Include the following:

red, irritated skin where ticks attach
anemia in severe cases
contracting Lyme disease
disease characterized by fever, joint and
muscle pain and weakness which can
lead to heart and kidney problems in
animals
contracting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
disease characterized by high
fever, headache and joint pain
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 In animals and humans involves

staying away from wooded or grassy
areas as well as leafy debris
Includes using tick preventing
medication and shampoo as well as
regularly checking and promptly
removing ticks
Prevention of Lyme disease is
available by administering a Lyme
disease vaccine
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 Requires the quick removal of any ticks

found on an animal
Involves administering medication to the
site of infection
Includes using oral medication which
combats the diseases they cause

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 Is also known as scabies

Is caused by mites burrowing under
the skin
Is transmitted through direct contact
with mites or another infected animal

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 Include the following:

severe itching
dry, wrinkled areas of skin
hair loss
lethargy
crusty sores

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 Involves maintaining good hygiene

and health of animals
Requires keeping animals from freely
roaming in grassy or woody areas
Includes limiting the contact animals
have with each other as scabies is
easily transmitted

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 Can be accomplished through bathing

infected animals weekly using anti-parasitic
soap
Involves treatment with anti-parasitic
medication and antibiotics if secondary
infection has occurred due to scratching
Can be accomplished through ridding the
house of mites which involves regular
vacuuming and cleaning of areas animals
inhabit
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 Is caused by a parasitic mite called

demodex living in the hair follicles
and oil glands of animals skin
In adults is usually a sign of another
disease compromising the immune
system as most animals are able to
suppress demodex

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 Include the following:

itching
red, irritated skin
small areas of hair loss on face and
front legs
skin oozing serum
may contract bacterial infection
serum pale yellow liquid coming from the separation
of blood into its liquid and solid forms
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 Consists of maintaining the overall health

of animals
Includes providing animals with a good
diet and clean environment
Involves supporting an animals immune
system by vaccinating, sterilizing both the
animal and its environment and practicing
pest control

43

 Involves feeding oral medication daily

for several weeks
Can be difficult if the animal is
excreting serum or an infection has
occurred

44

 Live on the surface of the ear canal skin

Are barely visible to the human eye and
appear as little black specks resembling
coffee grounds
Are transmitted through social
interactions between infected animals

45

 Include the following:

scratching at the ear
ears become red and inflamed
crust may appear on or around the
ears
abscesses around the ears
abscess localized collection of pus in part of the body
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 Involves checking ears regularly as

earmites reproduce rapidly
Consists of checking ears after animals
interact with one another
Includes monitoring animals behavior to
see if there is excess head shaking or
ear scratching

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 Includes applying medicinal oils or

insecticides into the ear canal
May involve oral medication
depending on severity of infestation
Is continued for several days in order
to break the life cycle

48

1. The most common internal parasite is the

a. roundworm
b. flatworm
c. tapeworm
d. whipworm

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2. Whipworms live in the _______ of

animals.
a. liver
b. kidney
c. cecum
d. small intestine

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3. What is an intermediate host?

4. What internal parasite is
transmitted through feeding
mosquitoes?

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5. What is the condition in which there

is a deficiency of hemoglobin in
blood?
6. What is the careful management of
domestic affairs or resources
called?

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7. Symptoms of hookworms include an

expanded abdomen.
a. true
b. false
8. Sarcoptic mange is also known as
scabies.
a. true
b. false
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9. Tapeworms can be transmitted through a

mothers milk.
a. true
b. false
10. Demodectic mange may cause the
excretion of serum.
a. true
b. false
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 (1998-2006). Retrieved October 9,

2008, from Long Beach Animal
Hospital: lbah.com
(2005-2008). Retrieved October 9,
2008, from Companion Animal Parasite
Council: www.petsandparasites.org
(2008). Retrieved October 9, 2008, from
Rural Area Veterinary Services:
ruralareavet.org
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Meghan Blanek

Dusty Moore

Production Coordinator:
Executive Producers:

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Gordon Davis, Ph.D.,

Graphic Designer:

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