~~~~~ PARASITES ~~~~~~

~~~~~ VACCINATIONS~~~~~~

~~~~~ FLEAS ~~~~~~

There are four types of intestinal worms that dogs get on a fairly regular basis. They are roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms.

Most dogs have roundworms (Toxocara canis, cati or leonina) at some time in their life. This worm can be passed to puppies while they are in the uterus and while they are nursing.

Eggs that are passed can develop into infective larvae that are capable of directly infecting another dog.

The eggs may also infect an intermediate host, such as earthworms, mice, rats and moles and then when this creature is eaten by the dog develop into adult roundworms in the dog.

Roundworms have a strange life cycle, migrating out of the intestine and into the lungs (and other organs) before returning to the intestines.

Once infected, a dog may pass millions of worm eggs in the stool. The eggs can live for several months in the environment. They are sensitive to ultraviolet light, so pens which are exposed to direct sunlight do not support the life cycle of the worm as well as more protected pens.

Roundworm eggs can be killed by using aqueous iodine solution (Clinics of North America, November 1987) but are not killed by chlorine bleach, although it is supposed to remove the sticky outer coating of the worm, making it easier to cleanse them from infected areas.

If your adult dogs are on heartworm prevention medications there is a good chance that they are being dewormed with a medication that can kill roundworms on a monthly basis, which should be sufficient to prevent any real worry over them getting infected, especially since dogs become more resistant to infection with roundworms as they get older.

Cleaning up stools daily prevents the spread of the eggs pretty efficiently and is a good practice to prevent infections.

Hookworms (Ancylcostoma or Uncinaria) are less common than roundworms but are still a major problem in southern areas of the U.S. (Ancyclostoma) and not too uncommon in the more northern areas (Ancyclostoma and Uncinaria).

Hookworms eggs develop into infective larvae which can pass through the skin or be ingested and cause infection.

The eggs and infective larvae are susceptible to sunlight and drying. There used to be a product sold that would treat infected dirt pens and kill the hookworm eggs but I have not seen it for at least ten years.

The heartworm prevention medications Heartgard Plus (tm), Revolution (tm) and Interceptor (tm) kill hookworms, so dogs on these preventative medications are also being treated for hookworms monthly, which should be sufficient to prevent problems with them, as well.

If you are not in a heartworm area monitoring stool samples every few months and treating if you find evidence of infection should be sufficient to prevent major problems from these worms. Cleaning up the stools daily also helps to prevent the spread of hookworms.

I do not know how long hookworm larvae live in the environment, but I think they are not as hardy as roundworm eggs and larvae. There is no intermediate host to worry about, either.

Whipworms (Trichuris vulpis in dogs) has the most environmentally resistant eggs of all the worms. The eggs of this worm can live for longer than a year in the environment.

They are susceptible to drying and sunlight. The Clinics of North America issue recommends treating concrete pens with a horticultural flame gun to kill the eggs, which I suppose might work on dirt, as well.

This worm is killed by milbemycin, the ingredient in Interceptor (Rx) heartworm prevention but is not killed by the other monthly preventative medications.

Therefore, it is more important to monitor fecal samples for evidence of the worm. The time from infection to the appearance of worm eggs in the stool is over two months, though -- so it can take awhile to know if this worm will become a problem when there is potential contamination of the soil.

Whipworms are harder to kill than roundworms and hookworms (or at least fewer medications do it successfully).

We use fenbendazole (Panacur Rx) for whipworm therapy but there are other medications that will work. Your vet will have one that he or she likes to use.

Tapeworms are usually acquired by eating infected fleas (Dipylidium caninum) or small rodents or rabbits (Taenia species).

Good flea control eliminates most problems with tapeworms except in dogs who are allowed to run free or to hunt small animals at times.

What we use to treat our dogs and puppies and the dosages

Panacur Small Animal 10%

Oral Suspension Data Sheet

Presentation A white oral suspension of fenbendazole as a ready to administer oral anthelmintic for domestic dogs, cats, puppies and kittens. 1ml contains 100mg active ingredient fenbendazole.

Uses

Adult dogs and cats: For the treatment of adult dogs and cats infected with gastro-intestinal nematodes and cestodes: Ascarid spp. (Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina) Ancylostoma spp. Trichuris spp. Uncinaria spp. Taenia spp. Puppies and kittens: For the treatment of puppies and kittens infected with gastro-intestinal nematodes and puppies infected with protozoa (Giardia spp.). Pregnant dogs: For the treatment of pregnant dogs to reduce prenatal infections with Toxocara canis and the transfer of T. canis and Ancylostoma caninum to the pups via the milk. Other: Also for the treatment of dogs infected with lungworm Oslerus (Filaroides) osleri or protozoa Giardia spp. and cats infected with lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus.

Also has an ovicidal effect on nematode eggs.

Dosage and administration Routine treatment of adult cats and dogs:1ml per 1kg bodyweight as a single oral dose. (= 100mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight). Practical dosage recommendations: 2 to 4kg 4ml 4 to 8kg 8ml 8 to 16kg 16ml 16 to 24kg 24ml 24 to 32kg 32ml 32 to 64kg 64ml For dogs weighing over 64kg an extra 1ml is required for each additional 1kg bodyweight. The dose should be mixed with feed, or administered orally directly after feeding. Treatment should be repeated when natural re-infestation with parasitic worms occurs. Routine treatment of adult animals with minimal exposure to infection is advisable 2 to 4 times per year. More frequent treatment at 6 to 8 weekly intervals is advisable for dogs in kennels.

Puppies and kittens under six months of age: 0.5ml per kg bodyweight daily for 3 consecutive days given by mouth after feeding to unweaned animals or mixed with food for weaned animals. (= 50mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight daily for 3 days).

Practical dosage recommendations: Up to 1kg 0.5ml daily for 3 days 1 to 2kg 1ml daily for 3 days 2 to 4kg 2ml daily for 3 days 4 to 6kg 3ml daily for 3 days 6 to 8kg 4ml daily for 3 days 8 to 10kg 5ml daily for 3 days For puppies weighing over 10kg, an extra 0.5ml is required daily for each additional kg bodyweight. Puppies should be treated at 2 weeks of age, 5 weeks of age and again before leaving the breeders premises. Treatment may also be required at 8 and 12 weeks of age. Thereafter, frequency of treatment can be reduced unless the pups remain in kennels where reinfestation occurs more readily.

Pregnant dogs: 1ml per 4kg bodyweight daily from day 40 of pregnancy continuously to 2 days post-whelping (approximately 25 days). (= 25mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight daily).

Practical dosage recommendations: 4kg 1ml daily for approx. 25 days 8kg 2ml daily for approx. 25 days 12kg 3 ml daily for approx. 25 days 20kg 5ml daily for approx. 25 days 40kg 10ml daily for approx. 25 days For dogs weighing over 40kg, an extra 1ml is required for each additional 4kg bodyweight. As treatment of pregnant dogs is 98% effective, puppies from these dogs should themselves be treated with a three day course at 2 and 5 weeks of age.

Pregnant cats: Pregnant cats can be safely treated with this product but only require a single treatment at the routine adult dose rate. Administer 1ml per 1kg bodyweight as a single dose. (= 100mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight).

Increased dosing for specific infections:For the treatment of clinical worm infestations in adult dogs and cats or Giardia spp. infections in dogs, administer 1ml per 2kg bodyweight daily for 3 consecutive days. (= 50mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight daily for 3 days).

For the control of lungworm Oslerus (Filaroides) osleri in dogs administer 1ml per 2kg bodyweight daily for 7 consecutive days. (= 50mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight daily for 7 days). A repeat course of treatment may be required in some cases.

For the control of lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in cats administer 1ml per 2kg bodyweight daily for 3 consecutive days. (= 50mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight daily for 3 days).

Vaccinations

Dog Vaccination Schedule for Puppy's First Year

Your new puppy definitely needs a series of vaccinations in the first year of life to protect him from many dangerous diseases as his doggy immune system develops. Different veterinarians recommend slightly different vaccination schedules and vaccines according to the specific dog’s risk factors.

Your vet can be more specific about the vaccination needs based on your individual dog, the particular region of the country in which you live, and your individual circumstances. In general, however, the first-year vaccination schedule for puppies usually resembles the schedule in the table here.

Our specific puppy Vaccination schedule is a DHPP ( 5 way vaccination) Given at 7 weeks, 10 weeks, 13 weeks and 16 weeks.

Getting your adult dog vaccinated may be more controversial than you think. Some people, including many vets, believe adult pets are overvaccinated and think that too many vaccinations pose health risks. Others believe vaccinations should be performed yearly to keep dangerous diseases like distemper from getting a hold on the pet population like they did in decades past.

Your adult dog may not need annual vaccinations and can instead have titer tests — tests that check a dog’s immunity levels — to determine exactly which vaccinations are needed. One exception is the rabies vaccine, which is regulated by law and may be required every one to three years, depending on where you live and the type of rabies vaccine the vet uses.

Flea Treatments

It is always a good idea to alternate the chemicals being used for your flea treatment throughout the year as the flea population you are trying to eradicate can and WILL become immune after time to the same chemical.

Topical and Oral Preventives

De-Fleaing very young puppies and Pregnant/nursing mommies

You can use DeFlea Ready to Use Shampoo, or DeFlea Concentrated Shampoo. They're safe for use on all puppies, even nursing animals. It's the only product I was able to find that can be used in puppies as young as yours. Your veterinarian might be able to provide you with other products that can be used on 2 week old puppies.

I've read that you can treat a puppy under 6 weeks of age for fleas by bathing them using warm water and Dawn dish-washing detergent, and then to manually pick off remaining fleas. Dawn dish-washing soap is very effective and it kills fleas quickly. Fill your sink or tub with warm water. (Test temperature as if you were giving a baby a bath). Using the kitchen sink is often easiest as you don't have to bend down and you are more in control. Immerse the puppy up to his neck and insure that he is saturated. Then lift him out and place him on a towel. Gently massage in the detergent. Massage the soap all over his body and around his neck, ears, head and under his chin, being very careful not to get soap in his eyes. The fleas are not silly and will head for the high dry ground of the head area. Then put him back in the water for a rinse. If he is not fighting and struggling too much try to keep him submerged for a few minutes. If he is distressed get the job over and done as quickly as possible. Having two people perform the operation is often easier. One to hold the puppy and one to massage and wash the the puppy. When finished wrap him up in a dry towel and dry him off. Try to do this in a warm atmosphere and don't let him get cold.

Flea combs are very inexpensive and usually quite effective in catching fleas that still remain on the puppy after his bath. While the puppy is still damp comb over his body with a flea comb or pick off the remaining live fleas with you finger and thumb nails while they are struggling to get through the damp hair. Have a cup of boiling water ready to drop the fleas into as you catch them. Boiling water is more effective than cold water.

In addition to the bathing, keeping a flea trap near where the puppies are kept can help. You can probably find flea traps at larger pet stores and possibly lawn and garden stores, or you can make one. Here are instructions on how to make a flea trap: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Flea-Trap

If the fleas continue to be a problem, Capstar flea treatment is safe for very young puppies that are still nursing. It can be given to puppies 4 weeks and older, weighing 2 pounds or more. You have to get Capstar from your vet. Defend is an over the counter product that kills and repels adult fleas, however like Capstar it can't be used on puppies younger than 4 weeks.

It is not sufficient to treat just the puppies for fleas, you must also treat your house. If you have an understanding of the flea cycle you will know that only 5% of fleas in your environment are actually living on the pet. The other 95% in the form of eggs, larvae and pupae are living in your house or/and yard. For example, if you catch 10 fleas on the puppies then at a rough estimate there are approximately 190 fleas developing and maturing in your house. Read about clearing your house of fleas here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_16644_rid-home-fleas.html

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef602.asp