Demodectic Mange

A frequently seen skin parasite is the Demodectic mange mite (left image). This is a parasite that is transferred from mother to puppy at an early age, between birth to approximately 4 or 5 days afterward. Many pets are infected by this parasite, but not all develop the disease that is usually recognized by hair loss, skin inflammation with associated infection to varying degrees.  Some dogs have the generalized form which covers much of the body, while others exhibit localized lesions, one or several, that are not as spectacular as the most widespread type.  Immune suppression resulting from stress (illness, accidents, malnutrition, anything that can weaken a dog's body's defenses) in young and older animals is the usual initiating factor.

Hookworms, an often diagnosed internal parasite infestation, and coccidia sp., an intracellular one-celled parasite, frequently are found in the digestive tracts of young puppies and dogs of any age that have been allowed to contact other infected animals or their body wastes.  In the image to the left, both hookworm eggs, the large oblong structures with lobulated centers, and coccidia, the small, round organisms with darker centers, are present.

Hookworms are usually the most dangerous of the intestinal parasites found in the United States.  The adults are tiny and cannot be seen by the human eye.  Diagnosis is made microscopically as above when the parasite eggs are seen in a fecal sample from the infected pet.  Although small, there are usually many hookworms in an infected animal, so many in fact that when they attach to the intestinal lining and feed, it is possible for them to remove enough of the animal's blood that they kill their host, your pet.  

This is a greatly magnified whipworm egg. These parasites are frequently found in dogs in the Central Texas area and can be the cause of major digestive tract problems. The signs can vary from none at all to an animal that becomes extremely ill, having hemorrhagic diarrhea, dehydration and a Parvo-like syndrome. Having your pet tested every 6 months is the best way to avoid damage to your pet from this parasite.