Parasites and Health Information - Please Read!

Many people, when picking up a puppy, assume that because a puppy has been dewormed by the breeder and veterinarian that it will never be infected with worms again. This is far from the truth. All dogs, regardless of age, require regular parasite prevention. Your new puppy needs to be dewormed every month!

Your new canine has been to the veterinarian recently, has had a full physical exam, given vaccines for it’s age, been given a fecal test which was found negative and dewormed again just for good measure. All of this is required by law in the state of Florida to ensure you are getting a healthy new family member.

How does my puppy/dog get parasites? -

Unfortunately puppies under the age of 16-18 weeks, and even some adults, can be prone to parasites infection which take advantage of their systems. This is especially a concern during times of high stress, such as when they are joining a new family. There are developing larva that are still, and normally always, present in a puppy or adult dog. It is a circle of parasitic life that is very difficult to break.

All dogs walk on the ground, play in the dirt and lick things they are not supposed to lick. They visit parks, the vet's office, friends houses and come into contact with things that other dogs (or wild animals) have had contact with without us even knowing. They also take drinks from standing water from time to time. All of these can be contributing factors to parasite infection. The act of bringing a puppy into a new home can also cause stress which can contribute to issues in their digestive systems due to single celled organisms.

99.5% of all dogs will carry small single celled organisms in their intestines called coccidea and giardia. These are both very common in the environment. When puppies are stressed, and electrolytes are low, that is the perfect environment for these little buggers to start growing. During the transition to a new home, I recommend giving your puppy half water and half Gatorade for the first few days until fully acclimated. This will help keep their little bodies replenished with crucial electrolytes and will help them fight off these issues. Please do not use Pedialyte. It is horrible tasting! If I won’t drink it I am pretty sure a puppy isn’t going to so please do not put Pedialyte in the water. Chances are they will just stop drinking the mixture all together causing more issues. Usually cherry Gatorade is what my puppies prefer.

Loose Stool -

Almost ALL puppies will get loose stool to some extent after they join their new families. The signs of stress induced loose stool are liquid surrounding the fecal matter; mucus appearance; grainy appearance; bubbling appearance and the presence of small amounts of blood are not uncommon. This can be a sign that single celled organisms are present but small amounts of blood in the stool (in itself) is NOT an indication of parvo or a severe health issue. Your new puppy has been vaccinated with Neopar to provide early protection against Parvovirus. The chances that parvo is the issue is extremely low. Please be sure to let your veterinarian know that the puppy was vaccinated with Neopar if they are insisting on doing a test for parvo due to blood in the stool. Also, a negative fecal result does not mean that your puppy does not have coccidea and/or giardia and treatment with a standard antibiotic should be given that treats both of these single celled organisms. Please insist on this. Do not just treat for one. Treat if symptoms are present even if the fecal result is negative!

A normal stool for a dog, puppy or adult, should be formed but not so hard it is formed into hard round segments (constipation). It should hold its form and not make a liquid like pile and resemble soft serve ice cream. If your puppy has produced an unformed pile, that is OK, but it should start to solidify within 12 hours. If this persists for longer than 12 hours, and your puppy is otherwise acting normally, please let your veterinarian know and follow up with them for a fecal test as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that a decreased appetite for the first few days after joining a new home is not uncommon due to a new environment, but refusing to eat all together or drink water to the point of dehydration; acting lethargic; throwing up; the presence of blood in their stool; white gums or a temperature under 101 or over 103 is something that should be addressed by a veterinarian very quickly. If there is any question about the health of your puppy, it is always best to contact your veterinarian.

Deworming -

We have dewormed your puppy regularly, a recent fecal exam has also been performed, no worm eggs were seen and another dose of dewormer was given by our veterinarian. Please keep in mind that dewormers do not kill worms. Instead they paralyze the adult worms in the dogs intestine which are then shed through their fecal matter. It does not affect the adolescent worms or larvae in their systems and does not affect the newly introduced eggs that will mature into adults weeks later.

Keeping your dog healthy and worm free is an ongoing battle that never ends. The more places you go the higher your dog's chance will be of picking up different worm infestations. It is simply an unfair world out there and the worms have the advantage. The key is to ensure that your new canine continues to be dewormed regularly throughout its life.

UGA Parasitology study and Hookworms! -

Please share with your veterinarian that we did participate in the University of Georgia Parasitology study on hookworms. It was previously thought that hookworms were only an issue in Greyhounds, but recent studies now show that all breeds are susceptible and that the hookworms themselves have formed a resistance to all medications commonly used. This resistant strain is present most often in the southern states, but now found all over the country.

Please read the Hookworm Resistance article that we provide and share this important information with your veterinarian. The current mode of eradication is to give Pyrantel Pamoate, Fenbendazole and Moxidectin at the same time and is reviewed in the article. Please also note that it is documented that long term use of ivermectin for heartworm prevention has contributed to eye damage over long periods of time and Moxidectin is also effective against Heartworms. For that reason we have also switched our dogs over to moxidectin for heartworm prevention.

Some ticks carry a wide array of nasty, and potentially deadly, diseases! Keep your dog safe and protect them from ticks!

Flea and tick prevention -

For flea; tick; mite; mosquito and biting fly protection, we do not recommend using a product that is effective longer than a month. The larger doses of pesticides, that are normally required for these longer lasting parasite treatments, can have long term health concerns. We recommend using Sentry Plus (also known as Frontline Plus) which is the active ingredient of Fipronil. We find this very safe as Firponil is not filtered through the bloodstream and other organs but stays in the lipid system of the dog. Fipronil has been out for a very long time and in my opinion is the safest external parasite control out there. It also helps to protect from all forms of mites as well including ear mites and mange but if the mites are present it will not eradicate them. It is to be used only as a preventative. If Fipronil can not manage a heavy flea or tick infestation then please contact me or use your vets recommendation taking the above information to heart. Please do not ever use flea/tick products with isoxazoline as the active ingredient. These have been associated with neurological adverse reactions, including muscle tremors, ataxia (weakness), and seizures in some dogs. These include Bravecto, Simparica, NexGard and Credelio propducts!

Humans can get worms, but not likely! -

Families are often surprised when they find out that humans can be infected by some forms of parasites. Roundworms, hookworms or tapeworms can infect humans as well as coccidea and giardia. As long as you wear shoes in areas where your dog has eliminated, and practice standard and basic hygiene protocol, human infection is usually not a concern. I have been working with dogs for 33 years, am tested regularly, and have NEVER had any parasites so it is pretty rare. Just be clean and conscientious.

Heartworms -

The other parasite I need to touch on is heartworm. Mosquitoes transmit these horrible worms that infest the heart and treatment, once infected, is a true ordeal! It is always best to give monthly heartworm medication (some now have a deworming agent as well in the medication mixture) than not to treat. Veterinarians require that any dog over the age of 6 months be tested before any treatment is administered because it takes 6 months for a mosquito to bite and for a juvenile heartworm (microfilariae) to grow into an adult heartworm. Treatment with a heartworm medication, without knowing if they are clear or not, is very dangerous. Treating an infected dog with preventative drugs can cause loss of limb, death and other complications.

Ear issues -

Ear issues can be common in some dogs and ear mites, bacterial infection and yeast/fungus are the only three standard culprits. A black substance is usually present with all of these issues but with a yeast/fungal infection the ear will usually be very red, swollen and puffy. With a bacterial or mite infection the ear is generally less red and inflamed but all of these issues produce a black tar like substance, of different consistencies, and require a microscopic examination to determine the mode of treatment. (Some flea/tick products also take care of ear mites!)

It is NOT a good idea to give a dog with a yeast/fungal infection any sort of antibiotics as it can cause the condition to become worse. If a yeast infection is found there are specific ear drops for that are required but you can also apply a few drops of organic (non-pasteurized) apple cider vinegar to each ear canal daily for a couple of weeks and that has done wonders.

If the infection is a persistent one I would also recommend and switching to a food that is lower in sugars and carbohydrates. Yeast/fungus issues begin in the GUT and a food change is in order. Just be sure that it is not a food high in legumes or sweet potatoes. You need a food that starves the fungus.

Daily supplementation with probiotics and prebiotics is recommended for at least two weeks for treatment, and at regular intervals after the infection has been cleared for prevention. The administration of probiotics and prebiotics is a safe and beneficial practice for all dogs (and humans) especially if they are being given any antibiotics or dewormers. This is one reason we are now feeding TLC Whole Life Puppy Food. It already contains active probiotic and prebiotic strains, so no supplementation is necessary.

Yeast/fungal infection can also cause stained feet due to overgrowth and licking. If your dog has stained feet pick up a paw and smell it. If it smells like Fritos then it is absolutely a yeast/fungal infection. Along with probiotic and prebiotic supplementation, administration of ear drops and switching food, I would also recommend using the same organic apple cider vinegar as a foot bath daily for at least 10 days. It can also be sprayed on with a spray bottle, rubbed in and then always be sure to dry the feet thoroughly. If this doesn’t work, try a standard woman’s yeast cream! Yep! Same thing!