Small Animal Intestinal Parasites Flashcards
What is zoonosis?
The transmission of a disease from an animal to a human.
Which class of intestinal parasites are most common in large animals?
Trematodes
What are the three types of Nematodes? How are they diagnosed?
Roundworms
Hookworms
Whipworms.
Diagnosed via fecal flotation with zinc centrifugation
What is the most common roundworm? What zoonotic disease does it cause? Where do they live?
Toxocara canis. Causes ocular larval migrans, Live in small intestine.
Roundworms are commonly treated with which medications?
Piperazine, pyrantel, and fenbendazole
What are the most common routes of transmission for roundworms?
Fecal-oral, trans-placental
What are the two most common hookworms? What zoonotic disease do they cause? How do they travel in the body?
Ancylostoma and Uncinaria stenocephala. Cause cutaneous larval migrans.
Travel from skin > lungs > small intestine
Hookworms are commonly treated with which medications?
Fenbendazole and pyrantel
How are hookworms transmitted? What ailment can they cause?
Fecal-oral, transmammary, percutaneous infection. Cause severe hemorrhagic anemia
What is the scientific name of the whipworm? What will severe infection lead to?
Trichuris vulpis. Causes hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
Where do whipworms live? How are they treated?
Large intestine. Treated with fenbendazole.
What is the unique characteristic of whipworm eggs?
Bipolar ends
What is the common cestode?
Tapeworm
What are the two most common types of tapeworms? How are they ingested?
Dipylidium caninum - ingestion of fleas (primary host)
Echinococcus granulosus and Taenia - ingestion of hydatid cysts
Describe the anatomy of tapeworms
Flat and segmented. Segments (also called proglottids) contain eggs.
How are tapeworms treated?
Praziquantel (Drontal, Profender)
What are the three most common types of Trematodes?
Flukes
Giardia
Coccidia
What is the most common fluke? Alternate name? How is it treated?
Fasciola hepatica. Liver fluke (found in hepatic bile ducts). Treated with albendazole.
Flukes are seen most commonly in which animals?
Cattle and sheep
Flukes require ____ as an immediate host.
Snails
Giardia is comparable to which organism?
Flagellated protozoan (trophozoites)
How is giardia treated?
Fenbendazole (Panacur) and Metronidazole (Flagyl)
What are the three ways to test a fecal sample for giardia?
Fecal float (cysts), Giardia ELISA, Fecal smear (trophozoites)
What is the most common coccidia in dogs and cats? Birds and rabbits?
Isospora in dogs and cats, Eimeria in birds and rabbits.
How are coccidia treated?
Sulfadimethoxine (Albon)
How are coccidia diagnosed?
Fecal float and fecal smear
