Providing Treatment for Internal and External Parasites in Pets
Parasites are one of the biggest headaches for pet owners and their pets. Timely treatment is the best way to provide your companion with quicker relief from internal and external parasites, and hopefully prevent the proliferation of these pests throughout your household (and among your other pets, if you have them).
Below are the most common internal and external parasites we see in pets, and the types of symptoms they can cause.
Call (262) 226-2055 if your pet is having problems with parasites!
External Parasites Affecting Dogs and Cats
External parasites can be found on your pet’s fur, skin, or even in their ears. They include:
Fleas are one of the most annoying pests for dogs, cats, and their humans. They proliferate quickly and can jump incredible distances, which allows them to spread rapidly and become overwhelming. Fleas can also be extremely tenacious due to their flattened bodies and tough exoskeletons, so squashing them is often futile. Additionally, fleas have a pupa stage where they are virtually invincible.
If your pet is scratching and biting at themselves, it’s possible they have fleas. Some dogs and cats can also develop an allergic reaction when a flea bites them. This may lead to itchy, irritated skin. Another risk of fleas is the transmission of tapeworms, which, if ingested, can end up in your pet's intestinal tract.
Mange is a disease of the skin caused by tiny mites. Some of these mites, which cause sarcoptic mange, live just under the skin, while another type, which dwells in your dog’s hair follicles, causes demodectic mange. Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious among dogs and transmissible to humans. Demodectic mange affects dogs with weakened immune systems, but it can also affect cats. Timely treatment is key and can help prevent your pet’s condition from worsening.
Signs of mange include:
- Hair loss
- Severe itching
- Red, inflamed skin
- Thick, crusty sores on the skin
Ear mites are tiny arachnids that live on the natural oils and wax that can be found inside your pet's ears. They are more common in cats, but can be found in dogs as well. While the mites do not bite, their presence can nonetheless cause itching in the ears. Your pet will naturally respond to this itching by scratching, and this scratching may cause secondary damage.
Your pet might have ear mites if:
- They are frequently scratching one or both ears
- They have dark brownish-red discharge coming from one or both ears (looks similar to coffee grounds)
- The skin of their ears appears red and swollen
- They cry or jerk away when you touch their ears
Ticks are ectoparasites that embed their mouth parts under the skin and feed on blood. In severe cases of infestation, they can cause anemia, fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite in dogs and cats. They are also a potential vector of disease for animals and humans. Deer ticks and wood ticks are the most common types here in Wisconsin. Wood ticks can spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, while deer ticks are able to spread Lyme disease, one of the more well-known tick-borne diseases. Both of these diseases can be transmitted to animals and humans.
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever include:
- Fever
- Joint/muscle pain
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Coughing
- Face/joint swelling
Symptoms of Lyme disease include:
- Swelling of the joints
- Lameness
- Fatigue/lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Lymph node swelling
To protect your pet and your human family members against tick-borne diseases, make sure your pet is regularly being treated with a tick preventative. You can also take steps to clear away brush and yard debris on your property so there are fewer places for ticks to "quest" and attach to your pet. Keeping ticks away from your pet likewise lowers their risk for Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and other tick-related illnesses.
Internal Parasites Found in Dogs and Cats
Frontier Veterinary Urgent Care offers effective treatments for a wide range of internal parasites, including:
One of the most common internal parasites is the roundworm. It affects people as well as pets, and can be spread via contact with contaminated soil or feces from infected animals. Often, puppies and kittens visiting the vet for the first time will present with roundworms, which they acquired either while in the womb or while nursing from their infected mother. Fortunately, this common pest is also easy enough to treat with deworming medication.
Roundworms live in the intestines when they reach their adult stage of life.
They do not always cause outward symptoms in dogs, but when they do, the symptoms may include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- A bloated/distended abdomen
The hookworm is another intestine-dwelling parasite that affects dogs and cats. As its name implies, the hookworm attaches itself to the intestinal wall to feed on blood. Hookworm larvae hatch in soil and can be picked up and consumed by unknowing dogs.
Hookworms are a threat because they can cause anemia if they are not treated. Puppies and older dogs are especially vulnerable.
Possible signs of a hookworm infection include:
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Pale gums
In infected dogs, whipworms live where the small and large intestines connect. These parasites also infect pets by being swallowed after a dog has sniffed at/licked contaminated soil, or sniffed around contaminated feces. Often, dogs do not show any signs of being infected, but if the infection has had time to progress, it can cause severe illness and bloody diarrhea.
One of the most important internal parasites to protect against is the heartworm. Heartworms are a type of roundworm transmitted by mosquitoes. When an infected mosquito feeds on a host, the heartworm larvae enter into the host’s bloodstream. They grow and mature as they travel through the bloodstream, eventually making their home in the blood vessels of the heart and lungs. It can take several months for heartworm larvae to grow into adults and move into the heart, but once there, they can proliferate and make it more difficult for the heart to pump blood.
There is no existing heartworm treatment for cats, and treatment for dogs is costly, time-consuming, and painful. Furthermore, even with treatment, heartworm disease can leave lasting effects in dogs.
The most notable symptoms of advanced heartworm disease in dogs include:
- Chronic coughing
- Panting/gasping
- Exhaustion
- Lethargy
How to Protect Your Pet from Internal and External Parasites
Parasite preventatives are your pet’s best defense against parasitic infections. Flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives are a must, and should be given year-round to keep your dog or cat healthy. An additional measure you can take to reduce your pet’s exposure to internal parasites like roundworms is to keep your pet from sniffing around another dog’s feces, and to pick up your pet’s waste right away instead of leaving it in the yard. You should also subscribe to yearly parasite checks for your pet to screen for evidence of worms.