Heartworms Flashcards
In hyper endemic areas, the prevelance of HW infection is what in outdoor dogs?
40-60%
What are some signalments and habits that result in increase chance of getting HW?
Being male (4x more likely than female)
Being outdoor dog (5x more likely)
Being between ages of 3-15yrs old
Being a larger breed
What is the main parasite that causes HW
Dirofilaria immitis
Where is D. immitis found in US?
Everywhere
Particularly in regions with milder climates (S/SE)
Hosts of D. immitis
Dogs, cats, ferrets, sea lions, humans, etc
Habitat of D. immtis adults
Aberrant sites
Adult worms in right ventricle and pulmonary arteries
Aberrant: right atrium, vena cava, eye, skin, CNS
—————>caval syndrome
Habitat of D. immitis microfilariae
Pre-larval stages in circulating blood
What does it mean if dogs can be “occult”
Dogs can harbour adult worms but MF are not detectable in peripheral blood
How to ID D. immitis worms
Long, slender white worms
- ->males are 5-7 inches with corkscrew tails
- –>females are 10-12 inches
What stages are within the uterus of the female D. immitis
Developed embryo
Pretzel stage
Stretch MF
Where are MF tapered?
What’s generally at the head?
Tail of MF can be
anterior end
Visible cellularity
Straight or hooked
How can you differentiate D. immitis and Acanthocheilonema reconditum
D. immitis is longer and wider
D. immitis has tapered head while A. reconditum has blunted head
D. immitis has cellular end while A. reconditum has clear space
D. immtis has straight tail while A. reconditum has button hook shape
T/F MF of D. immitis are usually greater in number than other filarids that may produce MF in dogs
T
Describe movement of D.immitis and A. reconditum MF movement on microscopic field
D. immitis moves actively in one position
A. reconditum has progressive directional movement
What are the different types of MF periodicity in D. immtis and what is seen in dogs?
In dogs:
- Nocturnal periodicity: MF are present in blood during evening hours
- Incomplete periodicity: MF never disappear completely from peripheral blood during 24 hr period
Other types of periodicity
- Diurnal periodicity: MF are present in blood during daylight hours
- Complete periodicity: MF disappear from peripheral blood at some time during the 24 hr period
What type of MF infection in dogs are considered the main source of transmission for D.immitis?
Dogs with low MF numbers
What’s the drawback for D.immitis lifecycle if there are a high number of MF in dogs?
If mosQ picks up too many MF frmo a dog, the mosQ it more likely to die due to overload
MosQ vectors
- L3 development
- Species that can transmit HW
- Common vectors
- Variability
-L3 have been observed in 70 species of mosQ
23 species can transmit HW
14 species of mosQ are common vectors
Distribution of mosQ are highly variable and feeding habits of mosQ are variable( cats, dogs, humans,, etc)
Breeding sites among mosQ species
Aquatic environments
Flood plains
Tree holes
Discarded tires
MosQ activity and HR transmission are dependent on
Why
Transmission period relationship
Temperature.
MF and infective larvae in mosQ require minimum avg daily temperature for life cycle development
Transmission period increases as you go south
Predicted HW development units based on
average temperatures
Give overview of D. immits in dogs
- MosQ feeds on dog with circulating MF
- MF develop to infective larvae (temp dependent)
- Infective larvae are deposited at the skin surface when mosQ takes another blood meal. Larvae enter mosQ bite wound
- Larvae undergoes 2 molts during their migration to the heart and lungs
- Adults mature in heart or lungs, mate, and produce MF
Repeat
Prepatent period of D. immitis in dogs
5.5-7 months
for MF to form into adult worm
Precardiac larval HW
- Where they going
- Age
Worms en route to hear
L3 in cutaneous tissue to 70 days (L4;early adult)
Are precardiac larval HW detectable with Ag tests
No
How are precardiac larval HW likely to be killed
SINGLE dose of preventatives (depending on product)
Subadult immature HW
Reproductive
Age
Reproductively immature
70-180 days
Are immature HW Ag detectable
No
How are immature HW likely to be killed
MULTIPLE doses of preventatives
Mature HW
Reproductive
Age
Reproductively active
6-8 mo