Internal and external parasite infections and infestations do not always immediately show external signs and symptoms. This is why Laurel Veterinary Clinic recommends annual testing and year-round pet parasite prevention for dogs and cats in the Broomfield, CO, area.
Intestinal Parasites
Intestinal parasites common in the Broomfield, CO, area include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, and giardia. In most instances, infestations of intestinal parasites do not cause obvious symptoms until they become more developed.
Because these parasites can infest pets so easily, are difficult to detect, and can be spread to humans, it is extremely important to avoid infestations through biannual testing and consistent pet parasite prevention.
External Parasites – Fleas & Ticks
Fleas and ticks are among the most common parasites among cats, dogs, and other mammals. They can be carried by and transmitted between animals, through the environment, or even tracked inside on clothing or other objects. Fleas and ticks can also carry other parasites, like tapeworms, and transmit diseases such as Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Lyme Disease.
Heartworm
Heartworms are unfortunately common in the Broomfield, CO, area and can be fatal in dogs if not detected and treated early enough. Heartworms are parasitic roundworms transmitted by mosquitoes that have bitten a heartworm-positive animal. Heartworm is not transmittable between pets, and humans are also not susceptible to heartworm disease. Infected pets may not show any clinical signs of infection until it progresses to a more serious stage. Dogs are susceptible to heartworm.
When infected, pets will show mild to serious symptoms depending on the stage of the infection, even up to sudden death. Some common signs include:
- Mild cough
- Reluctance to exercise
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Fatigue after moderate activity
- Asthma attacks
- Vomiting
While preventing pets from accessing mosquito-prone areas, such as stagnant water, and using screen doors and closed windows can assist in avoiding heartworm disease, the most effective method is to use consistent heartworm prevention.
Common Heartworm FAQs
Heartworms are a parasitic roundworm that certainly do not belong inside our pets. Pets may show no clinical signs in the beginning stages, however, they will become more obviously ill as it progresses. Pets may begin to show decreased appetite, weight loss, and eventually breathing problems and heart failure.
The short answer is mosquitoes. Not all mosquitoes carry heartworm, but once a mosquito has bitten a heartworm positive animal, it can spread to the animal that it feeds on. Since mosquitoes can arise at any time of year, it is important to keep your pet on continuous heartworm prevention.
The good news is that our pets don’t directly spread heartworms to one another. However, if one of your pets has heartworms, it could be a carrier and potential source of infection to other pets in the house. That said, it’s important to have all pets tested and covered by routine care.
In the early stages, many dogs may have no symptoms. However, the longer the infection persists, the more likely you’ll see your pup develop symptoms. Here are some of those symptoms:
- Mild cough
- Reluctance to exercise
- Fatigue after moderate activity
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
There are a few ways that heartworms can be detected and diagnosed.
The first way to diagnose heartworm is through blood testing. This is the most common way, as the blood test is a simple evaluation for a toxin (heartworm antigen) that stimulates an immune response.
Sometimes an infection with only a few heartworms will not produce a positive blood test because the infection isn’t producing a significant amount of antigen. Ultimately, the blood test could take many more steps, such as CBC, thyroid, and other testing to produce an accurate result.
Other forms of testing include radiographs (x-rays), or echocardiograms.
There are a few things that you can do to keep mosquitoes away from your pets, such as using screens or keeping windows and doors closed or limiting stagnant water around your home. The most effective option is to keep your pet on preventative medication.
Once your pet has been tested and proven negative, you can start your pet on monthly medication.
No, heartworms do not have the ability to live in humans. People can still be infected with heartworm through the bite of an infected mosquito, but the parasite is not able to survive in the human bloodstream.
What do you know about parasites?
