Ascariasis in Dogs & Cats:

Young animals are chiefly affected and intra­uterine infection of pups by larvae of toxocara canis. Such larvae remain in the liver of the foetus until the latter is born and begins to breathe, when they migrate to the lungs. The host may also be affected by the adult worms in the intes­tine. The worms may migrate to the bile ducts causing biliary stasis and icterus. Dead worms which are digested liberate toxic products which are very harmful to the host.

Symptoms:

The animals are unthrifty and either pot-bellied or the abdomen is tucked up. There is usually emaciation, anaemia, diarrhoea, or constipation, restlessness and the body coat is rough. Nervous symptoms may also develop. Death may occur due to intestinal obstruction.

Diagnosis:

It is made by finding the eggs in the faeces by repeated examination at an inter­val of 2 – 3 weeks.

Treatment:

Piperazine salts are quite effec­tive. There are many other broad-spectrum anthelmintics available now and can be used safely.

Ascariasis in Cattle, Houses, Pigs:

Heavy infestations of the intestine with adult Ascaris worms can cause digestive disturbances and poor growth in young animals. Acute symp­toms by migration of the immature worms through the liver and lungs and other organs, by migration into the bile ducts or by perforation or blockage of the small intestine.

Symptoms:

Each species has its specific ascarid. A. vitulorun in cattle, A. equorum in horses, A. suum in pigs and A. lumbricoides in man. The worms found in man and pigs are morphologically and serologically indistinguish­able, but are apparently of “physiological” or “host” varieties. In all animal species, only the young are seriously affected. In pigs up to 4-5 months old, the important clinical signs are poor growth and prone to other disease-due to poor resistance.

Enzootic pneumonia of pigs and swine influenza become very serious when accompa­nied by ascariasis. Adult worms may be vomitted up and occasional cases of obstructive jaundice and intestinal obstruction or rupture occur. Simi­lar symptoms are observed also in calves and foals. In adult animals, no clinical symptoms are observed.

Diagnosis:

Examination of faeces.

Treatment:

Piperazine salts. Febendazole is another good drug.

Paramphistomiasis (Stomach Fluke Disease):

It is a very common parasitic disease of cattle caused by paramphistone flukes and characterised by a foetid diarrhoea.

A large number of species are found in do­mestic animals, but, as a rule, they are not very pathogenic. The species which are quite common and they are — Paramphistomum cervi, Cotylophoron cotylophorum, Paramphistomum microbothrium etc.

Symptoms:

When there are enormous numbers of immatured flukes in the duodenum and abomasum, illness is manifested. A persistent foetid diarrhoea is characteristic and is accompa­nied by weakness, depression, dehydration and anorexia. Pallor of the mucosa and also submaxillary oedema are also seen. The disease is chronic and signs include loss of weight, anaemia, rough dry coat.

Mortality:

About 90%. Death usually oc­curs 15 – 20 days after the first signs appear.

Treatment:

Hexachlorethane is quite effec­tive against adults. Piperazine Hexhydrate (liq­uid) is a completely safe and effective medication for the removal of Ascaris in livestock.

Strongylosis (Red worm infestation) of Equines:

Some of the equine strongyles are blood­suckers and others are not, but since the infection is usually a mixed one, the general symptoms are caused by all the worms collectively. The blood­sucking species are most harmful. Strongylus vulgaris, S. edentatus, S. equims and Trichonema species and some other species are common para­sites. Strongylus vulgaris, the most important parasite in the horse, causes verminous arteritis and colic.

The disease is produced by migrating larvae and adult worms. The larvae of the S. vulgaris are most pathogenic, causing arteritis, thrombosis and thickening of artery walls. Emboli may break away and lodge in smaller blood ves­sels, leading to partial or complete ischaemia in part of the intestine, thus producing colic. The adult worms can be divided into those that are blood-suckers and those which are tissue feeders.

Symptoms:

Young equines suffer from the infection. The faeces become soft and has a bad odour. Diarrhoea develops, appetite diminishes, the animals become emaciated, exhausted and the coat is rough. Anaemia develops, associated with oedematous swellings on the abdomen and the legs. Death may occur in severe cases. In adults, mucosa are pale, the heart rapid and loud and respiration increased.

Treatment:

Many broad-spectrum anthelmintics have high efficiency against the large and small strongyles. Phenothiazine with piperazine is quite effective drug. Thiabendazole, Fenbendazole have proved to be very efficient.

Ancylostomiasis and Uncinariasis:

Hookworms:

The larvae of Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense, Ancylostoma duodenale and Uncinaria stenocephala get entry through the skin and may give rise to a marked local reaction in the skin and subcutis. These worms occur in the small intestines of dog, cat, fox and man. Pulmonary lesions due to migrating larvae are not severe.

The adult pararites attach themselves to the mucosa of the intestine and suck blood. They inject into the wounds the se­creting of their cephalic glands which prevent coagulation. The blood-sucking action of the para­sites cause severe anaemia and deplete the body of iron, thus preventing further formation of Erythrocytes.

Symptoms:

The disease occurs chiefly in summer and in animals of all ages. The disease may be acute and rapidly fatal in susceptible animals, while others may develop a marked de­gree of resistance to the effects of infection which may be broken down by adverse conditions. The main symptoms are anaemia, Oedema, hydraemia, weakness and emaciation.

Growth is stunted and the coat becomes dry and rough. Itching and dermatitis also observed. The faeces is often diarrhoeic and contains bloody mucus. Nearly one – third of the haemoglobin in the body is lost daily through the faeces. Extreme paleness of mucous membranes and weakness in hind quar­ters are followed by death.

Treatment:

In very severe cases, blood transfusion may be required. Iron tonics should be given before commencement of treatment will anthelminitics. Carbon tetrachloride or Tetrachlorethylene at the rate of 0.3 ml./kg body weight with a maximum of 3 ml. are the most effective drugs. The latter is specially indicated in cats and pups. The drugs should be administered in gela­tin capsules and followed by a dose of Mag Sulph solution half an hour later. Iron tonics are essen­tial for rapid recovery.

Diagnosis:

Finding the eggs in the faeces under microscope.

N.B:

Creeping eruption occurs in man and is characterised by the presence of progressively developing thickened tracks in the skin accompa­nied by itching. It is caused by wandering larvae of Ancylostoma braziliense and Uncinaria stenoce­phala but the most frequent cause is the larvae of A. braziliense.

It occurs chiefly on the feet, legs and gluteal region of children and is seen mostly in warm climates, where moist and sandy soil is found. Thus, dog and cats may be infected by children, and vice versa.

Haemonchosis (Barber’s Poleworm):

It is an important disease of sheep, goats and cattle and is characterised clinically by severe anaemia and anasarca. Haemonchus contortus is the species most commonly found in sheep, goat and cattle.

Symptoms:

Lambs and young sheep are commonly affected by the acute form of the dis­ease in which the animals are found dead without any premonitory signs having been observed. Anaemia develops rapidly in very acute cases and the animals die suddenly. In more chronic cases, anaemia is the main symptom and oedematous swellings are frequently seen under the jaw and sometimes along the ventral aspect of the abdomen. The animals become progressively weak, have a staggery gait and often go down. In pure haemonchosis, emaciation is not observed because the body fat is replaced by gelatinous tissue.

The skin becomes pale and in sheep, wool talls out in patches. Most cases show constipation rather than diarrhoea. Appetite is variable. The parasites cause no haemolysis but the blood shows a marked decrease in erythrocytes and presence of various abnormal and primitive blood cells. Calves also show a similar syndrome.

Diagnosis:

A definite diagnosis can only be made by autopsy of selected carcasses or faeces culture and identification of infective larvae.

Treatment:

Phenothiazine is very effective and a dose of 5 gm. is sufficient for sheep. Some of the broad spectrum anthelmintics, such as Clioxanide, Rafoxanide are excellent drugs. Inject­able treatment of Levamisole in best suited for cattle.

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