Travelling Pet Flashcards
What are of concern regarding travelling pets?
*Ancylostoma caninum
*Dirofilaria immitis & Dirofilaria repens
*Thelazia callipaeda
*Echinococcus multilocularis
*Canine Leishmaniasis
*Canine Babesiosis
What does the Pet travel scheme mean?
Pets allowed to entre UK without quarantine as long as they comply with regulations
What does an owner have to do with the Pet travel scheme?
*All dogs must be treated w praziquantel 1-5days before Entry to UK
*A vet must record tx in animal passport
*Repeat tx again 28 days after return
What is babesia?
Intra-erythrocytic apicomplexan
transmitted by ticks
What ticks transmit Babesia canis?
Dermacentor reticulatus
Rhipicephalus sanguineus
What does babesia morphology look like?
Merozoites = divergent pairs (pear shaped) within RBC
Sporozoite = tear shaped - enter RBCs
Trophozoite = ring within RBC
What size are B.canis?
4-5um
What is the life cycle of babesia?
1* Merozoites divide by asexual binary fission in red blood cells
2* Tick ingests the infected red blood cells
3* Multiplication and sexual reproduction in the tick
4* Dissemination of Babesia throughout the tissues into the ovaries
(TRANS OVARIAN TRANSMISSION)
5* Infection passes onto new host by the next generation of ticks
6* As the tick attaches and starts to feed, sporogony occurs in salivary glands
7* Sporozoites injected into host with the tick saliva
8* Sporozoites invade red blood cells and start to divide (merogony)
What does canine babesiosis cause in dogs?
- Acute, often fatal in naive dogs
- Anaemia arises from haemolysis
- Pale mucus membranes
- Depression
- Splenomegaly
- Complicated babesiosis
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
- Multiple organ dysfunction
How is canine babesiosis diagnosed?
- History of recent travel
- Clinical signs
- Giemsa stained blood smear to identify merozoites
How is canine babesiosis treated?
Imidocarb
What can be used to control ticks?
*Fipronil
*Deltamethrin collar
*Flurolaner
*Imidacloprid + flumethrin collar
What is Leishmanina spp?
- Kinetoplastid parasite (flagellated protozoa)
- Kinetoplast subcellular structure
- Flagellum
- Similar to trypanosomes
What is leishmania transmitted by?
Sandflies - Phlebotomus spp
What is the species of canine leishmaniasis in Europe?
Leishmania infantum
What is the morphology on Leishmania spp? (stages)
Amastigote = mammalian stage, multiplies in cytoplasm of macrophages
Promastigote = insect stage, contains flagellum
What is the life cycle of Leishmania?
1* Amastigotes taken up as sand fly feeds
2* In sand fly midgut the amastigotes transform into the promastigote stage
- Stage containing the flagellum
- Development temperature dependent
3* Infection of new host when sand fly feeds
- Pool feeders, promastigote migrates from the midgut down the proboscis
4* Promastigotes are internalized by macrophages and loose their flagellum
5* Promastigotes lose their flagellum and transform into the amastigote stage
What are the clinical signs of canine leishmaniasis?
*Range from asymptomatic to severe
* Alopecia/Hair loss
* Emaciation
* Exfoliative dermatitis
* Eczema
* Lesions around the edges of ears
* Peri-orbital alopecia
* Sores around muco-cutaneous junctions are common
* Chronic phase of diseases - excessive nail growth
How is canine leishmaniasis diagnosed?
*History of travel
*Clinical signs
*Blood tests/Serology
*PCR
How is leishmaniasis treated?
- Treatment does not eliminate the parasite, clinical relapse can occur
- Allopurinol (lifelong)
- Miltefosine (caution in pregnancy and liver disease)
- Meglumine antimoniate (caution in kidney disease)
- Domperidone (prophylaxis)
What vaccines are available for leishmaniasis?
- CaniLeish
- given to dogs from 6 months of age, as 3 injections 3 weeks apart
- Letifend
- given to dogs from 6 months of age as a single injection under the skin
- Booster every year
- Reduces symptoms rather than prevents infection
What are the routes of transmission of leishmania in the UK?
- By Phlebotomus sandflies
- Infected blood transfusions
- Via wounds/dog bites
