parasites of dogs/cats: ascarids Flashcards
Family Ascaridae
-Ascarids (roundworms)
includes Toxascaris leonina, toxocara canis, toxocara cati, Baylisascaris spp
Toxascaris leonina characteristics
-Egg: thick smooth shell, single cell
-called northern roundworm
-presence of alae
-3 lips
-no caudal projection on male
-eggs in female
Toxascaris leonina lifecycle
PP: 1-4wks
1. eggs in environment through L1-L3 stages
PPP: 8-10weeks
2. L3 eggs ingested by dog or cat (DH) or a paratenic host
3. Migrate out of GI (mucosal migration) where they develop outside and then re-enter GI as adults
4. Adult release eggs in feces into environment
Toxascaris leonina diagnosis
-fecal flotation, coproantigen, coproPCR
-large adult worms in vomit or stool
Toxascaris leonina clinical signs
-often asymptomatic
- pot belly
- poor growth
-staring coat
-diarrhea
-respiratory signs
-seizures and death (rare)
Toxascaris leonina epidemiology
-common in dogs in western Canada
-found in dogs, cats, wildlife (lynx)
-higher prevalence in young
-wide range of vertebrate paratenic hosts
-not zoonotic
-eggs survive months to yrs in environment (freeze tolerant)
-global distribution including north of 60N
Toxocara canis characteristics
Eggs: shed egg has rough outer shell (need heat, bleach to kill); larvated eggs also have rough shell and presence of larvae
Adult: long skinny alae, 3 lips, caudal projection in male tail, eggs in female worms
Toxocara canis life cycle in young pups (less than 3 months)
PP: 2-8 weeks
1. Eggs in environment (move from single egg, to L1-L3 larvae)
PPP: 4-5weeks
2. Eggs ingested. Undergo Hepatotracheal migration (start in GI tract–>liver–> R heart –>lung –> coughed up and swallowed back down into GI)
3. Adults in GI
4. Eggs released into environment
Toxocara canis life cycle in older (6mths) pregnant dogs
1.Eggs ingested by dog
2. Somatic migration = cysts (movement into the tissues- muscles, kidney, mammary glands)
3. Hypobiotic somatic Larvae in tissues will activate in late pregnancy and move across placenta into fetal liver
4. After puppies born, larvae undergo hepatotracheal migration within and can lead to eggs being shed at 2-3wks old.
**Transmammary infection only occurs in females newly infected late in pregnancy (because the larvae must undergo somatic migration at the time of feeding)
Age intensity curve
Toxocara canis diagnosis
-fecal flotation, coproantigen, coproPCR
-large adult worms in vomit and stool
Toxocara canis life cycle involving a paratenic host
PP: 2-8wks
1. eggs in environment
2. Paratenic host ingests eggs with L3 larvae that enter tissues
PPP: 4 weeks
3. Dog ingests the paratenic host
4. Larvae undergo mucosal migration (exits the GI to feed, then move back inside GI as adults)
5. Adult releases eggs in feces
Toxocara canis clinical signs
-often asymptomatic
-pot belly
-poor growth
-staring coat
-diarrhea
-resp signs
-seizures and death (rare)
Toxocara canis epidemiology
-common in dogs in canada
-global distribution except far north
-canid DH
-prevalence highest in young
-wide range of paratenic hosts (including humans)
-eggs survive months to yrs in environment
Toxocara cati characteristics
-broad arrowhead alae
-Egg: thick rough shell, single cell (similar to canis spp, need genetic testing to tell difference)