Does my Bichon Frise have a parasite?
According to centers for disease control and prevention,
“A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host”
Types of dog parasites
There are two types of parasites
- Internal parasites.
- External parasites.
1. Internal parasites:
There are following internal parasites which present within the body.
Does My Bichon Have Heartworms
Heartworms enter a dog’s bloodstream from the bite of an infected mosquito. The worms mature in the dog’s heart and clog it. Inflammation in the dog’s arterial wall disrupts blood flow, making the heart have to work harder. Once blood flow, making the heart have to work harder. Once blood flow slows sufficiently, a heartworm-infested dog develops mild, persistent cough may become fatigued after only mild exercise, and suffers from a reduced appetite. The end result can be heart failure.
Through veterinarians look for these typical signs, most dogs harboring this parasite do not have clinical symptoms prior to the worms being detected via screening tests. These tests are usually done during routine veterinary check-ups. The test is so sensitive that it can detect a single worm in a dog’s body. However, it can only detect the presence of adult heartworms, so timing is very important. There are other tests to determine the presence of heartworms, and your vet can walk you through them.
Three simultaneous factors are necessary for heartworm to become a threat to your dog:
- Other infested dogs
- Mosquitoes to carry parasites
- The right temperature
Does My Bichon have a Hookworm:
Hookworms live inside a dog’s digestive system and are acquired either by puppies from their mother or by adult dogs swallowing the parasite’s eggs, or having the hookworm burrow into the skin.
Hookworm larvae live in soil and can be ingested when the dog comes in contact via eating them or through routine self-cleaning. After attaching to the lining of the intestinal wall, the hookworm feeds on the dog’s blood. The resulting blood loss can have serious effects, especially on puppies. Your veterinarian can detect hookworms by examining a stool sample under a microscope. Infection can be prevented by keeping your dog’s environment clean.
Does My Bichon Have a Ringworm:
Ringworm is actually a fungus, not a worm. Because of their still-developing immune system, puppies less than a year old are more susceptible to ringworm. Adult dogs who are malnourished or stressed, or whose immune system is diminished, are also at risk, and the ringworm fungus is easily transmitted. An infected dog will develop lesions on his head, ears, paws, and forelimbs. The lesions cause circular bald spots which sometimes look red in the center.
In a mild case, a dog might suffer only a few broken hairs.
In severe cases, the infection can spread over most of the dog’s body.
Treatment:
Treatment depends on the severity of the infection. Veterinarians typically prescribe a medicated shampoo or ointment to kill the fungus in mild cases.
Severe cases may need oral medications, in addition to clipping the fur.
Does My Bichon have Roundworms:
Roundworms are an extremely common parasite, and again, puppies are most at risk. They look like white, firm, rounded strips of spaghetti, one to three inches long. Your veterinarian will look for signs of roundworms in the stool sample. Some of the symptoms of roundworm are coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, or malnourishment. Roundworms can infect other dogs and children.
Does My Bichon Frise have Tapeworms:
Tapeworms are ingested by your dog, via a host that is harboring a tapeworm egg. This is usually an adult flea. It will cause your dog to lose weight and have occasional diarrhea. You will now if your dog’s got them because you will see segments of the worms around his anus or in his stool. The segments look like grains of rice. Your veterinarian will administer medication by injection or orally. The medication is highly effective. The best protection against tapeworms is to keep your dog free of fleas and away from dead animals and garbage.
Does My Bichon Frise Have Whipworms:
Whipworms are acquired by licking or sniffing the contaminated ground. An adult whipworm is only about 1/3-inch long and resembles a very small piece of thread. They live in the dog’s large intestine, but unlike other parasitic worms, they are very difficult to spot in a stool sample. A telltale sign, though, is a stool that has a mucous covering, usually at the tip. Weight loss is the chief symptom of a whipworm infestation. Though whipworms are rarely a cause of death and afflicted dog will need to be treated with a dewormer.
Does My Bichon Frise have Coccidia, Giardia, and spirochetes:
Coccidian, giardia, and spirochetes are invasive, non-worm parasites that live in a dog’s intestinal tract. What makes them particularly dangerous is that they can infect a dog before he actually appears sick. It may not be clear that the dog is carrying these parasites until stress or another immunity-compromising factor arises. Coccidia is single-celled and found more frequently in puppies, where they may acquire it through their little mates or mother. Older dogs may also susceptible. Spirochetes can live in the bloodstream, as well as in the intestine, and can cause Lyme disease, syphilis, and other serious diseases. Giardia is found throughout the U.S.A and are, unfortunately, pervasive protozoa. Transmission of these parasites can come from infected soil, water, feces, food, other animals, and more.
As with all parasites, diligent sanitation practices are important to stave off these parasites.
Does My Bichon Frise have External parasites:
Fleas:
Fleas are tiny wingless insects that feed on mammals, including dogs. Fleabites make some dogs so miserable that they bite and scratch themselves raw. Other dogs do not seem to respond to fleabites with the same intensity. If you see evidence of fleas on your dog, it is essential to get rid of them as quickly as possible, before the population grows.
Hungry fleas sometimes bite humans too, leaving small, red, itchy bumps most commonly observed on the wrists and ankles.
You may be able to see the dark fleas, about the size of sesame seeds, scurrying around on the skin. These favorite spots include the base of the ears and the rump. Look closely to sparsely haired places, like the groin, for telltale signs. A more accurate way to diagnose fleas, however, when live ones aren’t observed, is to part the fur in several places and look for tiny black specks about the size of poppy seeds. These specks are flea feces, composed of digested blood. If you are not sure whether you are looking at “ flea dirt” or just plain dirt, place it on a damp piece of white tissue. After a minute or so, a small red spot or halo will become apparent if it’s flea feces, since the blood re-hydrated and diffuses into the tissue.
Ticks:
There’s no doubt about it-tick are nasty little buggers. Any creature that attached itself to the skin and sucks blood is high on the list of things you want to avoid. Worse yet, ticks present a health risk for both dogs and humans.
They can feed on the host’s blood for a few hours or a few weeks-yuck-then drops off to lay thousands of eggs. Different ticks have distinct lifestyles that influence when they are most active. Most present a higher risk during warmer months, but they are a year-round threat in many places.
Ticks transmit the following disease:
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Lyme disease
- In the case of the female wood tick sometimes called tick paralysis.
How to check if my Bichon Frise is suffered from parasitic infestation?
There are following symptoms of parasitic infestation in Bichon Frise :
1. Coughing:
One of the advanced stage symptoms of heartworms in a Bichon Frise is coughing. Dogs with hookworms and roundworms may also develop a cough.
2. Vomiting:
Dogs that have worms will often throw up. Roundworms can sometimes show up in a dog’s vomit.
3. Diarrhea:
Soft stools and canine diarrhea can be the result of worms. In addition to diarrhea, dogs with hookworms may have blood in their stools.
4. Low energy:
Dogs that are lethargic and less active than normal may be showing symptoms of having worms.
5. Potbellied appearance:
If your dog starts to appear pot-bellied or bloated, it may have contracted worms. This is commonly seen in puppies that have picked up worms from their mother.
6. Change in appetite:
If you notice a sudden change in your Bichon Frise’s appetite, he may have come into contact with roundworms. Dogs that are infected often lose their appetite. As worms steal a dog’s nutrients, a dog with worms may also show a sudden increase in hunger.
7. Weight loss:
If your dog shows signs of rapid weight loss, he may a tapeworm or a whipworm.
8. Dull coat:
A healthy dog should have a shiny thick coat. If your dog’s coat begins to dull and dry out, he may have picked up a form of worms. Loss of hair or the appearance of rashes can also denote worms.
9. Itching and signs of skin irritations:
Bichon Frise that shows signs of skin irritation may have a severe infestation of worms.
10. Rubbing its bottom on the ground or “scooting”:
While this can often be caused by problems with the anal glands, dogs with worms will occasionally rub their rear ends on the floor in order to relieve themselves of the itch due to worms in the area.
11. Visible worms in fur or fecal matter:
Some worms, such as tapeworms may appear are small moving segments in the fur or area around dog’s anus.
Roundworms can often be seen in the dog’s stools.
How can we treat and prevent our Bichon Frise dog from external parasites?
1. Home tick treatments for the dog:
Examine your dog each time you return from a walk in the woods or a field. Ticks like to settle between the toes, around the face and ear, and in the armpits or groin area on dogs, although they can latch on just about anywhere.
Ticks may start out as very small black dots, about the size of the head of a pin; or they can be larger and more easily seen, about half the size of a ladybug. When engorged with blood, the tick’s body swells and it holds firmly to a dog’s skin.
How can you find ticks on your dog’s body?
Unfortunately, it’s often easiest to find a tick when it has already latched on. By feeling your dog’s skin, you can find a tiny lump that feels much like a small burr, except you cannot brush or pull it off easily.
What should you do when you find ticks on your dog’s body?
If you find a tick that’s unattached, you remove it with a pair of tweezers or tick removal tool. Because the blood of a tick can be dangerous, don’t crush it between your fingers. Also, flushing it down the toilet will not kill it-putting it in rubbing alcohol, then flushing it will do the job. It’s best to wear rubber or surgical gloves when you handle ticks.
Other treatments:
There are many treatments available to help keep your dog safe from ticks:
Topical treatments:
These products are commonly used and are very effective. You apply a small bottle of solution to the back of the dog-directions vary, as does the dosage based on the dog’s weight. They last for a month or so.
The active ingredient includes permethrin, imidacloprid, pyrethrin, or fipronil.
Sprays:
A bit more work, sprays require that you cover all areas of the body. Be careful around eyes and ears; it’s best to spray a cotton ball and dab the solution on those areas.
Powder:
These are easier than sprays but messy, to be sure. They are not recommended for dogs who suffer from asthma.
Shampoos and dips:
Shampoos and dips may have some residual benefit but are most often used for a dog already infested with ticks. Work up a good lather across the entire body, and leave it on for at least ten minutes.
How to prevent tick bites on dogs?
If you use a wide-tooth comb for fleas on your dog after a walk, chances are you will discover any ticks in the dog’s coat, too, and they will probably not have attached themselves yet. To protect yourself, tuck long pants into your socks during walks in woods and fields, and wear a hat.
Around your house, be sure to keep tall grass mowed to discourage ticks from setting up camp in your yard. Pet-approved insecticides may be used on your lawn to control ticks, but their benefits may be short-lived since some ticks spend part of their lifecycle underground, safely away from any treatment.
How to treat flea bites on Bichon Frise?
It is important to note that you should treat the flea infestation to get rid of the fleas before you begin treating the bites. If fleas are still present, more bites will appear.
Symptoms of flea bites:
- Redness
- Itchiness is the result of an allergic reaction. Therefore, flea bites should be treated with medication that suppresses allergies, such as antihistamines or topical steroids. You may need to treat secondary skin infections that happen because of the bites or wound from scratching with antibiotics.
The natural, homemade solution used for treating flea bites:
There are also natural, homemade solutions that can help combat allergies and the symptoms of flea bites.
- An oat bath can be very soothing for itchy skin and help remove other allergens from the coat.
- Quercetin is a compound derived from a fruit that has anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties.
- Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties and can cool and soothe itchy spots, though you should make sure your dog does not lick it off.
- Coconut oil can suppress inflammation and is known to reduce the allergic reaction to fleas.
How can we prevent our Bichon Frise from fleas bites?
- Finely ground salt can be spread over the carpet and furniture to dry fleas out and kill them. It should be left for two days before vacuuming it up. Don’t leave it on for longer or your carpet will get wet and musty, especially in humid areas. Salt can also be mixed with water to clean hard surfaces.
- Perhaps one of the best ways to kill fleas left in carpets or furniture is to us diatomaceous earth.
It’s a natural rock formed by fossilized algae, and it’s very fine and abrasive to the exoskeleton of fleas. It dehydrates them, and unlike chemicals, fleas don’t develop an immunity to it. Diatomaceous earth should be spread evenly over surfaces and vacuumed up after two or three days, but avoid using it on your dog’s skin, as it can dry them out.
- You can prevent fleas from coming back with cedar chips. Fleas hate them. Spread them around your outdoor area and around your dog’s bed. Cedarwood oil can be mixed with a drop of alcohol to make a natural flea collar with a bandanna.
- Insecticides are available for outdoor use, as well.
How can we treat and prevent our Bichon Frise from worms?
Home remedies to treat worms:
Here are a few methods to get rid of worms at home with ingredients:
Garlic:
We know the power garlic has in both your pasta dish and your breath, but most of us don’t know how healthy the clove can actually be especially for your Bichon Frise. Garlic, given in proper medication, can effectively treat worms because of the strong acids found in the oils. When mixed with fennel, the mixture will not only rid your dog of intestinal worms but also boost your dog’s immune system. Grate a fresh clove into your canine’s dinner for effective treatment, but be careful to not use too much because the powerful oils can upset your dog’s digestion.
Raw carrots:
When it comes to dogs, carrots are not digestible, and this means that when your dog consumes it, the vegetables leave the body the in same shape it entered. As uncomfortable as that sounds, raw carrots are an effective way to deworm because of their inability to be digested and change shape. When the carrots travel through the digestive system, their coarse form gently scrapes against the intestinal mucous lining where the worms live and force the pests out the body alongside the vegetable messes.
Oregon grape:
Oregon grape is an herb that has been proven to effectively eliminate parasites, but also provides many other health benefits such as boosting the immune system and fighting infections. The reason this herb is so effective because of the antiseptic component called berberine, which protects against fungus, bacteria, and parasites. Purchase Oregon grape in extract form and administer 12 drops for every 20 pounds of dogs twice a day.
4. Supplemental enzymes:
Supplemental enzymes have caustic nature that destroys the worm’s outer coating, which causes them to grow week and eventually lose their grip on the intestinal wall. Free from the intestinal wall, the worms are then forced out of the dog through its feces. Papayas(containing papain), figs( containing ficin) are all common food items that contain these types of enzymes that are effective against parasites.
Medical remedies to treat worms:
We have found popular medications and how they effectively eliminate both intestinal and heartworm species:
Probiotics:
Probiotics are a healthy bacterial supplement that is beneficial for the intestinal and digestive systems. They are effective by attacking the outer coating of the worms so that they lose their grip on their host and are forced out of the body. A common probiotic is Acidophilus and is most effective when one capsule is given with every meal.
For roundworms and hookworms:
- Pyrantel pamoate is an “over the counter” drug that helps treat roundworms and hookworms and is safe to use on puppies as young as 4 weeks old.
2.Fenbendazole:
Fenbendazole is a second “over the counter” remedy that also fights against roundworms and hookworms. It’s recommended for large and older dogs.
For tapeworms:
Praziquantel and Epsiprantel are the drugs that are used against tapeworms.
For whipworms:
- The most commonly used medications are fenbendazole or febantel.
- Fenbendazole will last for 5 days and will need to be repeated after three weeks.
For heartworms:
To treat heartworm especially, a series of medication injections or shots will be needed in order to strengthen and rebuild the heart and surrounding muscles.
How to prevent worms:
Preventive medications work very well, but it’s always possible for the worms to make a comeback. To keep that from happening, you have to destroy eggs or larvae before they reappear. That means good sanitation and clean, dry living space for your dog:
- Outdoor runs should have a watertight surface(of cement, for instance) instead of dirt.
- Scoop poop from the yard or run daily.
- Keep your lawn cut short and water it only when necessary.
- Fleas, lice, mice and other rodents can carry tapeworm and pass it on to your dog. Get rid of them and you will control the disease.
- Don’t let your dog roam and hurt; raw meat, carrion, or parts of dead animals that are likely carriers of parasites.
- If you give your dog any fresh meat, be sure to cook it thoroughly first.
How worms in Bichon Frise are contracted?
Some of the most common ways to contract worms in dogs include:
- Drinking contaminated milk from mother during nursing.
- Rolling in, sniffing, eating, stepping in or licking contaminated soil
- Consuming infected prey like rodents, birds, and reptiles.
- Mosquito, flea and tick bites and ingestion.
- Coming into contact with an infected dog or another infected animal.
- Consuming or coming into contact with an infected animal’s feces or vomit.
Parasites can be spread from dogs to humans
It is very important we keep our dogs healthy and free of parasites, not only for their benefit but also to protect ourselves from zoonotic diseases.
Zoonotic diseases:
Zoonotic diseases, or zoonosis, are infectious diseases that can be transmitted directly and indirectly to people from animals.
Hookworm as zoonotic disease agent:
Animal hookworms are well-documented zoonotic disease agents and are the most common cause of cutaneous larva migrans also is known as creeping eruption or ground itch. The larvae migrate in the skin, producing intensely itchy, serpentine lesions.
Humans are most likely to be infected with the hookworms of dogs through direct skin penetration of infective larvae found in feces of dogs.
Roundworm as zoonotic disease agent:
Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasite in dogs and most likely to be transmitted to humans.
The human becomes infected with roundworms by accidentally ingestion infective worm eggs that have been passed through the dog’s feces and left in the environment. The eggs that can hatch in the human’s intestinal tract and the immature worms can travel to various tissue in the body, including the eyes, brain, liver, lungs and other organs potentially causing serious infections.
Conclusion:
It is very important to understand that worms in dogs can cause severe medical issues and health conditions if left untreated. This is why we recommend discussing a dog worm preventive protocol with your veterinarian.
