Drugs that fight parasites – Pet tip 256

The thought of parasites makes most pet owners shudder. Just in case we’ve forgotten what they are, a parasite is an organism that lives off another animal without benefit to that animal and without killing that animal. Parasites can be classified into external (ectoparasites) and internal (endoparasites). There are many different types of these critters, from roundworms to hookworms, tapeworms to fleas and ticks. Here is an overview of some of the drugs used to kill them, and a couple of pointers that you as a conscientious pet owner might want to be aware of.

Regurgitation and Vomiting Differences in Dogs and Cats

Most pet owners have seen it; your cat or dog hunches up, starts to make retching noises, and then brings up an amount of material. But is it vomit or regurgitation? This may seem like a trivial difference, but in fact it is not. Knowing whether the material is vomit or regurgitation tells your vet where the material is coming from, and also what may be the cause of the problem. Regurgitation is defined as the passive, retrograde movement of ingested material, usually before it reaches the stomach.

The regurgitated material is often expelled with minimal or no signs of nausea, distress or retching. In fact, the animal may show some surprise as it goes through the act, because it was not expecting it! Material originates from the oral cavity, pharynx or esophagus. Regurgitation often occurs immediately after eating food, but can also occur hours afterwards.

Feeding sick anorexic cats

Cats can be notoriously picky eaters, and this finickiness can become even more pronounced when they are sick. For owners trying to feed this type of cat, getting enough food into their pet can be a frustrating battle, as no matter what is offered (wet food, kibble, treats) the cat will often turn its head away. Unfortunately though, a cat that is not eating is not something that can be ignored, or treated as a “wait and see” type of situation.

Blastomycosis in dogs

Perhaps you have heard of ‘blasto’ in dogs, it’s an important disease that all dog owners should be aware of.

Blastomycosis dermatitidis is the most common systemic mycosis of dogs. Systemic meaning that it can affect the whole body, and mycosis, meaning that it is caused by a fungus. It is called ‘dermatitidis’ because it affects primarily the skin, but it can also affect other body parts, such as the vascular system.

Blastomycosis is largely confined to the Ohio, St. Lawrence and Mississippi river-drained areas of North America. It is a soil organism, which can be inhaled by a dog. It is often found growing on dead leaves along a river. The classic case of a dog getting blasto is a young male hunting dog following a trail and sniffing eagerly along a river-bank. It is most common from August to October, since this is when leaves are falling off trees and the mould version of the fungus can grow upon them.

E. Cuniculi in Rabbits

You’ve been noticing it for a few months now. Your bunny just hasn’t been acting like itself. You can’t quite put a finger on it, but it just seems ‘off’ somehow. Then you see a bit of a head tilt, which grows worse with time. Sometimes you catch your bunny stargazing. Then you realize it seems just a bit weaker than usual on its hind legs. It’s not jumping as high and isn’t running to the door to greet you as usual. A few months later it’s practically holding its head to the floor. What could possibly be wrong with it? Is it a brain tumour or some rare bacterial infection?