Parasites in a Shiba Inu puppy: prevention, prevention, prevention!

Parasites are not a drama: all it takes is proper prevention.

In everyday life a dog can accidentally come into contact with parasites: what matters is the coverage we provide by following careful, consistent protocols. Today pharmacology offers a range of effective tools to fight internal and external infestations, and it is important to know which ones to use depending on the environment we find ourselves in. Parasites have very specific habitats: for example, in cities the main dangers come from internal parasites, often picked up on walks by sniffing other dogs’ regurgitations or droppings — it is hard to find ticks or fleas on the pavement — while in rural environments, such as the countryside or woods, external parasites rule.

Prevention starts with us

Every Shinjukawa puppy is delivered dewormed, with two vaccinations, a health record and a veterinary health certificate and, if age allows, with the external parasite treatment as well: it is our protocol, not an option. Deworming the puppy and the mother during nursing serves to start with a zeroed (or near-zero) intestinal parasite load. From there, prevention passes into your hands, and timing should follow the schedule indicated by your vet.

Intestinal worms

Roundworms and giardia are the most common in puppies: they can be picked up from the environment, not only from the mother. Typical signs are a pot belly, irregular or bloody stools, slow growth, sometimes vomiting. Diagnosis is made with periodic faecal exams — cheap and fast — and treatment is simple when administered in time. The practical rule: faecal exams at least a couple of times in the first year, then as the vet deems appropriate based on the dog’s lifestyle.

Fleas and ticks

Fleas are small wingless parasites that feed on the dog’s blood, multiplying at extreme speed: a single female can lay up to fifty eggs a day, infesting not only the animal but also the home environment — beds, carpets, sofas and floor cracks. The most obvious symptom is an intense, persistent itch, which leads the dog to scratch, bite and lick compulsively, resulting in reddened skin, hair loss and self-inflicted injuries. In predisposed subjects flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) can develop: an allergic reaction to the parasite’s saliva that enormously amplifies the irritation even with few bites. Fleas are also vectors of the tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum), which the dog contracts by accidentally swallowing an infected flea during grooming, and in puppies or small dogs a massive infestation can cause anaemia, recognisable by pale mucous membranes, weakness and apathy.

Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that nestle in the dog’s coat, especially in areas such as the ears, neck, armpits and the spaces between the toes. Beyond the local nuisance — redness, itching and possible skin infections at the attachment point — the real danger is represented by the diseases they can transmit through their bite. Among the most common and insidious are ehrlichiosis, babesiosis (or piroplasmosis), anaplasmosis and Lyme disease (borreliosis). The symptoms to watch for are: fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, lameness or joint stiffness, pale mucous membranes, weight loss and, in the most severe cases, abnormal bleeding or dark urine. Since many of these conditions can manifest days or weeks after the bite, it is essential to inspect the dog after every outing in at-risk environments — tall grass, woods, rural areas — and to contact the vet promptly if any suspicious sign appears.

To mitigate the risks and prevent infestations, diligent antiparasitic prevention is necessary: spot-ons or tablets (we are against collars) — the vet will certainly be able to recommend the product and the dosage suited to the environment the dog lives in.

There are ingestible products capable of offering simultaneous protection against internal and external parasites; I personally prefer to split the treatments between chewable tablets for deworming, to be given 3/4 times a year, and spot-ons (pipettes) against external parasites every month — even in winter.

Winter coverage too is necessary not so much for ticks as to reduce the risk of Leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis: a serious disease

Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of a small mosquito-like insect (the sandfly, or “pappatacio”) that injects into the dog a microscopic parasite, the protozoan “Leishmania infantum”, and it is unfortunately now present across almost the entire Italian territory. The disease is a so-called zoonosis, that is, a disease transmissible from animal to human, and although the risk of contracting the disease for a healthy adult human remains low — since the immune system can often reject the parasite — it can be dangerous for children, the elderly and immunodepressed people. In Italy about 200 cases a year are now counted, the highest incidence in Europe.

Once it has entered the blood, the parasite strikes the dog’s immune system, settling in key organs such as the bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes and kidneys. Depending on the individual animal’s immune response, the parasite can cause a chronic, progressive pathology that manifests mainly in two forms:

• Cutaneous form: it causes hair loss (especially around the eyes), ulcers, dermatitis and abnormal nail growth.
• Visceral form: it damages the internal organs, leading to weight loss, lethargy, enlarged lymph nodes and, in the most severe cases, potentially lethal kidney failure.

Fortunately, for canine Leishmania a vaccine to be given annually exists today which, although providing 90% coverage, is worth evaluating alongside the other prevention measures.

We do not self-medicate, and we invite you to do the same: it is the only responsible attitude on this front.

Never self-medicate

Antiparasitic products are dosed per kilogram and per age, and some are strictly forbidden on certain species or subjects: an insecticide suitable for an adult dog can be toxic to a puppy, and dog products often contain molecules that are lethal to the cats they share the house with. No approximations: every choice goes through the vet, who knows your puppy and the territory.

In short

Deworming at the source — the kennel guarantees it — then a calendar of external prevention, periodic faecal exams, leishmaniasis screening and the advice of a trusted vet. Everything else is habit. If you are considering a puppy, look at the available puppies, read the FAQ and meet the breeders: prevention is the first chapter of lifelong support.