Be Careful! Your Dog might have these Parasites.

Doesn’t the word “Parasite” just make your skin crawl? With the parasite season upon us, here’s a list of blood sucking, nasty little buggers that your dog may have which have the potential of making the dog sick and prone to allergies.

• Fleas

Fleas are buggers that make the dog itch a lot. When the dog is allergic to fleas, the flea symptoms may be more severe and may cause inflammation and hair loss.

The places to look out for fleas is the belly and inner thighs as they will be seen mostly in those areas as little black specks.

The easiest way to get rid of them is by using vet recommended flea shampoos, powders and pills.

• Ticks

The most common way of a dog picking up ticks is by brushing up against grass or bushes during a play. Ticks are little parasites that attach themselves to the skin of the dog and bury their head within while becoming engorged with the blood.

The best way to get rid of ticks when found on the skin of the dog is by visiting the vet and having them pulled out.

• Heartworms

Heartworms are developed in mosquitoes and contracted to dogs when an infected mosquito bites the dog. The most common symptoms include the dog appearing more tired than usual, coughing, and respiratory distress.

• Hookworms

There are several ways a dog can get hookworms including orally, through the skin, through the mothers placenta before birth, or through the mothers milk. Hookworms are usually diagnosed through the dog’s stool sample. They are very easily detected by a vet as a female hookworm produces approximately 20,000 eggs a day.

Some symptoms that the dog may show are pale gums, diarrhea, and weight loss. Skin irritation and itching may be the result of a heavily infested dog.

Several drugs when given orally or by injections help in getting rid of this parasite.

• Tapeworms

Tapeworms are parasites that attach themselves to the small intestinal wall by a hook like mouth part. As these critters mature, they grow up to 8 inches long and their segments then eventually break off and pass into a dog’s stool.

Give the dog the medicines prescribed by the vet to deal with this nasty parasite.

Although disgusting, most parasites are easily removed with a trip to the vet and some medication. So here’s an advice to all parents, pay attention to the changes in physical behavior and keep checking the coats of the pet to detect the existence of the parasites and getting rid of them at the earliest.