Ectoparasites

Question 1

What is Fleas Latin name?

Answer 1

Ctenocephalides Felis

Ctenocephalides Canis

Question 2

What are the clinical signs of fleas?

Answer 2

Irritation
Token hairs
Puritis alopecia
Skin thickening

Question 3

How can fleas be diagnosed?

Answer 3

-can remain undetected due to hair length and thickness
-combing hair of animals
-microscopic examination of hair samples
-damp white paper test

Question 4

How are fleas treated?

Answer 4

-keep environment clean
-vacuum all rooms and use household spray
-bedding should be washed on hot cycle
-treat all animals in household

Question 5

What are fleas lifecycle?

Answer 5

-on the host, female flea will feed on blood and mates, eggs are laid on host
-eggs fall off into environment
-with right environmental conditions (2-14days) the eggs hatch into larvae which feeds on organic matter in environment and skin debris
-after a well larvae spins into cocoon and pupates
-10 days after flea fully develops and pupates, flea emerges and jumps onto the host

Question 6

What is ticks Latin name?

Answer 6

Ixodes Ricinus

Question 7

Clinical signs of ticks?

Answer 7

Fever
Lameness
Swelling of joints
Cough
Local inflammation
Local infection

Question 8

How are ticks treated?

Answer 8

-clean removal of tick including mouth parts
-skin disinfection once removed

Question 9

What is the ticks lifecycle?

Answer 9

-ticks will be positioned on vegetation and will wave their legs (quest) to allow them to attach to host
-they pierce the skin of host and anchor themselves in position with help of barbed structure
-tick feeds from host for several days
-once female fully engorged, drops old host and lays thousands of eggs in environment and dies

Question 10

What are the 3 Latin names for sucking and chewing lice?

Answer 10

Cat Biting Louse
Felicola Subrostratus

Dog Biting Louse
Tricodectes Canis

Sucking Louse
Linognathus Setosus

Question 11

What are the clinical signs of Lice?

Answer 11

Hair loss
Intense irritation
Self inflected trauma
Anaemia if in large numbers

Question 12

How is lice treated?

Answer 12

-can be treated with effective insecticides against lice
-through cleaning of fomites
-all animals in household treated

Question 13

How is lice diagnosed?

Answer 13

-visual inspection
-coat brushing
-hair plucks
-adhesive tape strips
-microscopic examination

Question 14

What is Lice lifecycle?

Answer 14

-sucking lice pierce host skin to suck blood
-chewing/biting lice feed on skin debris and secretions
-lice need to down their life on host
-lice lay eggs individually called nits
-lifecycle is 2-6 weeks

Question 15

How are Lice spread?

Answer 15

Direct contact of suitable hosts

Indirect contact via fomites

Question 16

Clinical signs of sand flies?

Answer 16

Painful bites on Pinna, nose or abdomen
Organs can be affected

Question 17

How are sand flies diagnosed?

Answer 17

-confirm if animal has recently traveled in endemic areas

-PCR bloods
-urine
-tissue samples sent to external labs

Question 18

How are sand flies treated?

Answer 18

-life long treatment required
-prevention when travelling
-can take up to 5 years after initial bite to develop disease

Question 19

What is sandflies lifecycle?

Answer 19

-female seeks host at dawn or after sunset, humidity is higher
-mouthparts probe skin to cause bleeding, they feed on pool of blood
-eggs laid in damp terrestrial areas

-larvae feeds of organic matter before developing into pupae
-pupae develops into adults after few weeks

Question 20

What is Latin name of deep burrowing mites?

Answer 20

Demoxdex Canis

Demodex Cati

Question 21

Clinical signs of deep burrowing mites?

Answer 21

Puritis or non-Puritis alopecia
Secondary bacterial infections

Question 22

How are deep burrowing mites diagnosed?

Answer 22

-hair plucks
-deep skin scrapes
-microscopic examination

Question 23

How is deep burrowing mites treated?

Answer 23

-can resolve within 6-8weeks in young animals
-comprehensive ectoparasite treatment, continues after 4weeks after second negative skin scrape

Question 24

What is another type of deep burrowing mite seen?

Answer 24

Scarcoptes Scabiei

Question 25

How is Scarcoptes Scabiei treated?

Answer 25

-systemic treatments
-shampoo to remove all dirt and grease
-treat all pets in contact and fomites

Question 26

What is Scarcoptes Scabiei lifecycle?

Answer 26

-direct or indirect contact with infected host
-adults feed superficially on skin surface
-after mating female burrows deeper into epidermis, feeds on fluid and debris causing tissue damage
-lays eggs for period of several months
-eggs develop to adult 2-3 weeks
-mites survive environment for 2-23wks

Question 27

What is Latin name of surface mites?

Answer 27

Otodectes Cynotis

Question 28

Clinical signs of surface mites?

Answer 28

-common in puppies and kitten
-mobile white spots in external ear canal
-brown waxy discharge
-ear scratching
-self inflected trauma
-head shaking
-bacterial and fungal infection

Question 29

How are surface mites diagnosed?

Answer 29

-visual signs
-sample collection and microscopic examination

Question 30

How are surface mites treated?

Answer 30

ear cleaner applied topically to breakdown and remove wax

Question 31

What is Latin name for harvest mites?

Answer 31

Neotrombicula Autumnalis

Question 32

Clinical signs of harvest mites?

Answer 32

Lesions on skin
Itchy areas
Self inflicted trauma

Question 33

How are harvest mites diagnosed?

Answer 33

-observation
-activity of mite observed
-patient history of infestations
-skin scrapes and direct impressions

Question 34

How are harvest mites treated?

Answer 34

Spray or topical treatments

Question 35

What is harvest mite lifecycle?

Answer 35

-adults lay eggs in decomposing veg
-eggs hatch into larvae
-in dry/sunny conditions larvae becomes active
-attaches to passing hosts and feeds on enzymatically liquified tissues, epithelial secretions and blood
-mite detaches and continues development in the environment

Question 36

What is surface walking dandruff mites Latin name?

Answer 36

Cheyletiella Yasguri

Chehletiella Blakei

Question 37

Clinical signs of walking dandruff mites?

Answer 37

Well tolerated
Scaling
Moderate skin lesions

Question 38

How is walking dandruff mites diagnosed?

Answer 38

-visual of white spots moving on skin
-coat brush with adhesive tape test
-microscopic examination

Question 39

How are walking dandruff mites treated?

Answer 39

Repeated topical treatment