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Dogs + Parasites

  • This handout outlines internal parasites in dogs and what you can do to prevent or treat infection. Included are parasites of the gastrointestinal tract (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms), as well as parasites of the circulatory system (heartworm).

  • Ivermectin + pyrantel (brand names Heartgard® Plus, Iverheart Plus®, Tri-Heart® Plus) is a combination of antiparasitic medications used to prevent heartworm and to treat and control roundworm and hookworm in dogs. Ivermectin + pyrantel is given by mouth as a flavored chew tablet.

  • Ivermectin + pyrantel + praziquantel (brand names: Iverhart Max, QuadriGuard) is a combination of anti-parasitic medications used to prevent heartworm and control roundworm, hookworm, and tapeworm in dogs. It is given by mouth as a flavored chew tablet.

  • Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a single-celled parasite that infects dogs, cats, and certain rodents. Humans can also become infected. The parasite is transmitted by small, biting sand flies. Leishmaniasis can cause one or two types of infections: a cutaneous (skin) infection and a visceral (organ) infection.

  • Leishmaniasis in Dogs

    Es una enfermedad causada por un parásito unicelular que afecta a los mamíferos en muchas partes del mundo y que está extendida por todos los países de la cuenca del Mediterráneo. Hay que tener en cuenta que la enfermedad también puede afectar a las personas, pero no existe una transmisión directa del perro al hombre o viceversa. Se transmite por la picadura de un pequeño mosquito (Phlebotomus spp).

  • Liver fluke (Heterobilharzia americana) is a parasitic worm that affects dogs in the southern Atlantic and Gulf states and causes a disease called schistosomiasis. The fluke’s lifecycle is complex and involves a freshwater snail. Dogs can become infected by swimming or wading in water that has the larval stages of the fluke. The flukes cause granulomas (inflammatory nodules) to form in the liver, intestines, and other abdominal organs. Symptoms of gastrointestinal and liver disease may be present.

  • Lotilaner + moxidectin + praziquantel + pyrantel (brand name Credelio Quattro®) is a combination antiparasitic used to protect against ticks, fleas, heartworm disease, roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms in dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age and older and weighing at least 3.3 lb (1.5 kg). It comes in a chewable tablet to be given monthly. Its use is currently only approved for dogs.

  • Lung flukes are parasitic worms (trematodes) that infect dogs’ lungs after they have eaten an infected crayfish or rodents that have eaten infected crayfish. Infected dogs can be symptom-free or may develop cough with sometimes bloody mucus, pneumonia, pneumothorax, lethargy and weakness.

  • Lungworm infection is caused by one of several parasitic roundworms. Cats can get a lungworm infection by swallowing infective stages of parasitic lungworm. The exact way that a cat is infected varies according to the life cycle of the parasite. This handout outlines the signs, diagnosis, and treatment for lungworm in dogs.

  • Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium that can be transmitted to dogs through the bite of an infected tick. Once in the bloodstream, the Lyme disease organism is carried to many parts of the body and is likely to localize in joints or kidneys.