Parasitology

The ability to use anthelmintics to prevent and eliminate parasite infections or disease has been the cornerstone for many parasite control programs. Unfortunately, in many instances, what was a cornerstone has become the whole program.

Echinococcus granulosus is a tiny (~3 mm) tapeworm responsible for cystic echinococcosus in humans. In many regions of the world, this is a major public health problem as well as an important economic issue. As with other tapeworms, the life cycle involves both definitive and intermediate hosts.

Larva migrans (LM) simply refers to the migration and persistence of helminth larvae in tissues of animals and humans and is separated clinically and pathologically into visceral (VLM), ocular (OLM) neural, and cutaneous larva migrans (CLM). There are many helminth parasites that can cause LM; however, Toxocara and Baylisascaris account for the majority of human cases as well as those in other animals.

Giardia is a protozoan parasite frequently detected in a wide variety of animals, including humans. Three major morphological groups are recognized: Giardia muris in mice, G. agilis in from amphibians, and a third group from various warm-blooded animals.

"After all, we are a mobile society and our pets travel with us". We are all probably tired of hearing it, yet, transporting our pets around the world is one of the most significant factors in the emergence of diseases in new geographic areas.

Raw food diets – when will we learn that truly raw foods are the pathway for disaster? In addition to bacterial problems, most tapeworm infections in dogs and cats are a result of eating raw food (prey) or ingesting untreated water. Pets should be fed cooked or prepared food and provided with fresh, potable water.

Cryptosporidium spp. are protozoan parasites of a wide variety of vertebrates, including humans, dogs, cats, horses and livestock. They are found throughout the world and are considered to be primary pathogens of both public health and veterinary concern because of their ability to cause gastrointestinal disease, their ubiquitous presence in the environment, and associations with large scale waterborne and foodborne outbreaks.

Madison, N.J. -- Pfizer will discontinue the distribution of ProMeris, a topical flea-and-tick treatment, by fall, the company tells DVM Newsmagazine.

This online on-demand archived Webinar provides a comprehensive review of canine tick-borne disease agents, with a special focus on those that cause ehrlichiosis. (1 CE credit)

8 answers to your questions about canine leptospirosis.

Here's how you can stress the importance of feline heartworm preventives to clients.

The weather is warming up, and you know what that means: Ticks-and along with them, Lyme disease-will be out in full force. use a practice-wide team effort to make sure your clients are prepared for the surge.

Share this list with clients at your veterinary practice to help keep their pets healthy and parasite-free.

Make heartworm awareness fun.

Your clients know these bloodsuckers are gross, but do they know how to protect their pets? Become a tick expert and educate your veterinary practice clients.

Veterinarian Mike Paul has resigned as executive director of the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC).

Having trouble getting through to your clients about parasite protection? Give them an up-close look at fleas in the exam room.

You know fleas can jump, but do you know why they can fly so high?

Holly Morss, CVT, answered these attendee questions during her Western Veterinary Conference presentation about ova identification.

Dr. Byron Blagburn would like veterinarians to mandate parasite control strategies when educating their clients about fleas and heartworms, not merely suggest or simply encourage product administration.

Making the case to clients.

Getting your team involved is an important step in educating clients about parasites. Closing your doors for a few hours might be the best way to initiate this training.

The promise of genetic testing to detect infection.

Shawnee Mission, Kan.? Bayer Animal Health readies for a March release of Advantage® II for cats and dogs, and K9 Advantix® II for dogs.

A veterinary report emphasizes the zoonoses risks for pet owners who welcome their dogs and cats into their own beds.

A group of experts recently gathered during the 5th Annual Canine Vector-Borne Disease (CVBD) World Forum Symposium for this roundtable discussion. The purpose of the discussion was to provide practicing veterinarians with current relevant information on canine vector-borne diseases in North America and to offer advice on the identification and prevention of these diseases.

Do signalment and geography play a role?

The way team members talk to clients has a lot to do with whether pets will suffer from fleas, ticks, heartworms, and other parasites.

Can one rapid test dependably identify four infectious parasites?

The American Heartworm Society (AHS) recently started collecting data from veterinarians for a national heartworm incidence survey.