small animal ectoparasites

Question 1

what is included in class insecta?

Answer 1

flies, lice and fleas

Question 2

what is included in class Acarina

Answer 2

ticks and mites

Question 3

what are the three parts of lice’s body?

Answer 3

head, thorax, abdomen

Question 4

what do lice not have?

Answer 4

wings

Question 5

what is the mallophaga order of lice?

Answer 5

chewing/biting louse, head wider than thorax

Question 6

what is the anoplura order of lice?

Answer 6

sucking louse, narrow head

Question 7

what are the eggs of lice called?

Answer 7

nits

Question 8

what is the life cycle of lice?

Answer 8

direct, spent on host, host specific

Question 9

how is lice transmitted?

Answer 9

direct contact or fomites

Question 10

how long can lice live off the host?

Answer 10

days to weeks

Question 11

what is the PPP of lice?

Answer 11

3 - 4 weeks

Question 12

what are infestations of lice called?

Answer 12

pediculosis

Question 13

what are the clinical signs of lice?

Answer 13

pruritus, hair loss, anemia, secondary bacterial infection, poor weight gain and growth, transmit disease

Question 14

how do we diagnose lice?

Answer 14

nits on hair, lice on skin, use cellophane tape

Question 15

what do nit eggs look like?

Answer 15

white and operculate

Question 16

what area on the body do lice like?

Answer 16

warm areas

Question 17

how do we treat and prevent lice?

Answer 17

ivermectin/selamectin, isolate, wash bedding for fomites, allow a 4 week vacancy period

Question 18

what is the genus for fleas?

Answer 18

Ctenocephalides canis and felis

Question 19

fleas are the IH for what type of parasite?

Answer 19

dipylidium caninum

Question 20

where do non adult stages of fleas live?

Answer 20

environment

Question 21

what is the morphology of a flea?

Answer 21

flattened laterally, no wings, move rapidly through hair coat, adults have suckling mouthparts

Question 22

what is the life cycle of a flea?

Answer 22

complete metamorphosis

Question 23

what is the PPP for fleas?

Answer 23

13 days - 1 year depending on environment conditions

Question 24

how is the adult flea attracted to the host?

Answer 24

warmth, movement, and exhaled CO2

Question 25

how long can adults live without a first blood meal?

Answer 25

8 weeks

Question 26

how long can fleas live on and off host?

Answer 26

3 months +

Question 27

as both sexes of fleas suck blood, what do females require?

Answer 27

blood meal to produce eggs

Question 28

where are flea eggs laid?

Answer 28

on host

Question 29

when do flea larvae hatch from eggs?

Answer 29

1-10 days under ideal conditions

Question 30

what do flea larvae feed on?

Answer 30

organic debris

Question 31

where do flea larvae live?

Answer 31

environnent and away from light

Question 32

when do flea larvae pupate or spin a cocoon?

Answer 32

5-11 days

Question 33

what does the flea larvae look like?

Answer 33

fuzzy and caterpillar like with chewing mouth parts

Question 34

what do flea pupae look like?

Answer 34

cocoon is small, white, sticky

Question 35

when does flea larvae develop into an adult?

Answer 35

5 days

Question 36

when do adult fleas emerge from the cocoon?

Answer 36

when environmental conditions are right, can live inside for 140 days

Question 37

what are the clinical signs of fleas?

Answer 37

pruritus, FAD (flea allergy dermatitis)

Question 38

how do we diagnose fleas?

Answer 38

see jumping/in hair, flea comb, saline to flea faces onto white paper and observe for blood, flea may fall out, decals

Question 39

how do we prevent fleas?

Answer 39

treat monthly, clean house, spray areas, vacuum

Question 40

when are ticks most active?

Answer 40

spring, summer, and fall, temps above 4degrees C

Question 41

what are the ticks that are important vectors of disease?

Answer 41

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, tick paralysis

Question 42

what do we classify Ixodidae as?

Answer 42

the hard ticks

Question 43

what is another name for dermacentor andersoni?

Answer 43

Rocky Mountain wood tick

Question 44

what is another name for dermacentor variabilis?

Answer 44

american dog tick

Question 45

what is another name for ixodes scapularis?

Answer 45

deer tick

Question 46

what is another name for ixodes pacificus?

Answer 46

western black legged tick

Question 47

what is another name for rhipicephalus sanguineus?

Answer 47

brown dog tick

Question 48

what does ixodes scapularis (deer tick) cause?

Answer 48

Lyme disease

Question 49

what shape are ticks?

Answer 49

ovoid

Question 50

what is a scutum?

Answer 50

a hard dorsal shield on ticks

Question 51

how big are ticks and how big can they swell up to?

Answer 51

4-5 mm diameter, swell up to 12mm

Question 52

how do ticks find their host?

Answer 52

questing waving their legs in the air to detect changes in CO2 concentration, temperature, light, moisture and vibrations

Question 53

what are the four stages of a ticks life cycle?

Answer 53

egg, larvae, nymph, and adult

Question 54

what stages of a ticks life cycle require a blood meal?

Answer 54

all except egg

Question 55

what do tick larvae look like?

Answer 55

look like adults, but only have 3 pairs of legs

Question 56

what is the life cycle of a tick?

Answer 56

indirect or direct

Question 57

what are the clinical signs of ticks?

Answer 57

painful and irritating bite, large infestations can cause stress, anemia, pruritic, reddened area around bite, bulls eye appearance around bite

Question 58

how do we diagnose ticks?

Answer 58

visualize tick on skin, may or may not be engorged, red bullseye on skin, red spot on skin

Question 59

how do we treat and prevent ticks?

Answer 59

remove with tweezers ensuring to get ticks head, selamectin, nexgard (afoxolaner), flea and tick shampoo

Question 60

what are mites commonly called?

Answer 60

mange mites

Question 61

what are the three main groups of mites?

Answer 61

sarcoptiform, non sarcoptiform, fur mites