Deworming

Intestinal worms are parasites that often affect cats and dogs. Normally they are found in the intestines where they feed and reproduce at the expense of their host. They cause disorders that can sometimes be serious. They are classified as round or tapeworms depending on their form.

The seriousness of the symptoms will depend on the number of worms along with the age and nutritional state of the animal. On rare occasions they may even cause the death of the animal.
As humans and pets are share the same environment, there is a risk of infestation for the former.  This can occur when humans accidentally ingest the eggs of this worm or through the skin (larva migrants).

Pets become infested in the same way and a some others, such as; by swallowing fleas (tapeworm) and by eating the viscera of animals, and that is why you should never feed your pet with raw meat/viscera. In this way cats also get infested by toxoplasmosis, by eating infested  raw meat, birds and rodents.  Therefore the deworming is very important for human and pet health.

Another way of transmission is from the mother, she can transmit worms to her litter while they are in the womb or through her milk.  It is therefore most important to deworm a female before mating and during pregnancy as a preventive measure, to ensure that the litter can be born free of worms.

All puppies should be dewormed by the following schedule:
- 30 days old: 1st  dose
- 45 days old: 2nd dose
- 60 days old: 3rd dose

After that and in adults the deworming should be done, at least, every 4 months, with a second dose in 15 days. All dogs and cats in contact must be dewormed at the same time.
If you are in an endemic area of heartworm, there are special deworming tablets that will also prevent rounds, tape and heartworm, and they must be given every month.

Heartworm Disease

It is a severe parasitic disease that affects dogs and cats. Is caused by a roundworm called filaria and is transmitted by mosquito bites. It is known as heartworm disease as this is where the adult worms feed and reproduce.  Pets get infected by filariaes when an infested mosquito bites a dog or cat and deposits larvae through its saliva. The larvae then burrow the skin. They develop under the skin and then emigrate through the veins to the heart, where they mature into adult worms. The worms reproduce in the heart and their larvae travel through the bloodstream, waiting to be ingested by another mosquito, for onward transmission to another animal.  One infected dog or cat represents a potential danger for all other cats and dogs.

There is no cure for this disease, which would involve the removal of many worms around 20 cm each from the animals´ heart.  What we do have on the market are injections that kills the adult worms but with a great risk of thromboembolism. Even with no more worms the damage would remain, so treatment is not our focus.  They key is prevention, and that can be done with the regular use of some deworming products like Heartgard®, Milbemax® and Interceptor®, capable of killing the microfilarias circulating in the blood, before they grow into adults. However if your animal is already infected with this disease, application of these products could be fatal.

Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes

They are not only parasites of our dogs and cats skin and coat, they can also transmit many diseases like leishmaniasis and tick fever, which are a risk for the pets and humans.
To prevent leishmaniasis there is a collar marketed as Scalibor® that repels the mosquito flebotomo, the primary transmitter of this disease. There are two other products effective against the mosquito bite, Pulvex Spot On® and Advantix®. Both these products protect against ticks and fleas and are only for dogs.
 
For cats, monthly you should apply a product against fleas and ticks (Front Line®) and if possible avoid contact with street cats as the incidence of AIDS and leukaemia in those animals is high.

For AIDS there are no vaccines or treatment.

Leishmaniasis

It is a disease caused by a parasite (Leishmania), which invades different organs of the dog causing lesion of diverse consideration, and even causing pet´s death. It is manifested as problems on kidney and liver levels, sores on the skin, joint damage and sore on and around the eyes.
It is transmitted by the sand fly, an insect similar to a mosquito but much smaller. It transmits the disease when it bites the dog, usually in the evening (sunset hours). The sand fly requires high environmental humidity but unlike mosquitoes, which reproduce in stagnant water, it does so in burrows and areas of rubbish. It occurs in all continental Portuguese territory, from March to October.
The diagnosis of leishmaniasis requires a clinic exam done by a professional vet weather it is suffering from this disease. If your dog contracts leishmaniasis, there is no cure. He will have to live with it the rest of his life. But good, regular veterinary control and treatment, ensure a good quality of life for the dog.
The disease is never transmitted directly from dog to humans. For a person  to be infected it requires:
? the sand fly bites a dog with Leishmaniasis
? It takes approximately one week for the sand fly to become infective
? the same sand fly bites a person and transmits the disease

Therefore, a person who has a dog with leishmaniasis does not need to take any special precautions to avoid the infection. Just treat the illness in the animal and prevent new bites.
The risk of contracting the disease is related to living in a geographic area where the disease exists, weather you have a dog or not.
The most important step is to protect the dog from the bite of the sand fly.  To do this use the products mentioned above, and always avoid taking your dog out at the time of the sand fly’s greatest activity, dusk and night fall.

Always consult your vet before administering any medication.

Feline leukaemia(FeLV) and AIDS(FIV)

FeLV is a virus that causes a fatal disease in cats by affecting the immune system. It can cause vulnerability to other infections, anaemia or tumours. Is does not infect humans. FIV is a virus similar to the human virus, HIV. However, FIV does not infect humans and HIV does not infect cats.

The virus is usually transmitted through direct contact with the saliva of infected cats, commonly through grooming. The FIV virus cannot be transferred from cat to cat on people´s hands and clothes, as it cannot survive for long periods outside the cat. It is transmitted primarily by cats fighting, and they both can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her kittens while they are in the womb or through her milk.

All cats that get the FIV become permanently infected, although a cat will produce antibodies, these are ineffective and once a cat has FIV, he will be FIV positive for the rest of his life.  But not all cats that get the FeLV become permanently infected, after testing positive for the virus, some cats are able to clear the infection and recover after few weeks. These cats are likely to have a degree of immunity to future infections. The younger or weaker a cat is at the time of infection and more contact he has with the virus, the more likely he is to remain permanently infected.  Although natural resistance to the virus may gradually improve as a cat ages, older cats can still become permanently infected.
There is an incubation period of months or years before signs of FeLV infection show in those cats that are permanently infected. Sadly, around 80% of cats diagnosed with FeLV die within 3,5 years.
In the case of FIV an infected cat can have years of normal life and my die from something else entirely before their FIV infection causes any problems.
For FIV and FeLV signs are similar but varied and usually result from a weakened immune system and therefore a vulnerability to other infections. Once disease develops, infected cats may have:

• recurrent infections, e.g. respiratory infections, sore gums or digestive problems
• being “off-colour” or having a high temperature
• enlarged lymph nodes
• anaemia
• taking a long time to recover from infections
• breeding problems

There is quick test to test the virus in blood that you can ask your vet to perform.  It is recommended that positive results (particularly those from otherwise healthy cats) are sent for confirmation at an external laboratory, as false positive results can occur. As some cats are able to clear the FeLV infection after a few weeks, it may also be prudent to re-test four to twelve weeks after a positive result.
Kittens less than 5-6 months may have had antibodies passed on to them by their infected mothers, but not the virus itself.  Only a third of kittens born to FIV-positive mothers actually have FIV themselves.
Results can be inaccurate for both diseases if the cat has only recently been exposed to the virus, as it can take up to 8 weeks for the infection to show in the blood. It is recommended that you wait this time before re-testing negative cats if they are known to have had direct contact with other positive cats. Negative cats should be kept separate from positive cats during this period.
Unfortunately, there is currently no reliable treatment for FIV or FeLV so vets will treat each positive cat individually, depending on the signs he develops.
Keeping infected cats indoors and ensuring they are fully vaccinated will help to protect them from other infections, as well as helping to prevent the spread of virus to other cats.  Any secondary recurrent infections may be treated with antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory drugs as necessary.

Sadly, many affected cats have to be euthanized because they have a poor quality of life.  A very effective vaccine is available to protect uninfected cats against FeLV but, if a cat is already infected, it has no benefit. However, protection cannot be guaranteed and, therefore, it is recommended that FeLV-positive cats are not mixed with negative cats – vaccinated or not.  The vaccination of cats in risk is very important, as well the annual booster. Unfortunately there is no vaccine for FIV in Portugal, getting your cat neutered reduces their chance of contracting FIV through fighting.

Vaccination

It is undoubtedly the most important step for both the puppy/kitten and the adult dog or cat. The animals must be immunized before they start to walk on public places. There are many viral diseases that can affect dogs and cats and they are the cause of a large number of deaths, especially in puppies and kittens.   To be vaccinated, the animal must be healthy with and previously wormed. If this is ignored, vaccine failure can occur, as a not healthy body cannot respond fully to vaccination. That is why important the general examination that vets perform before  vaccination.  

Multiple Vaccines are very important in any vaccination scheme. Rabies and micro chipping is mandatory by the Portuguese law to every puppy with more than 4 months.  To avoid unnecessary risks we recommend that your dog be vaccinated against parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis. For those who have cats it is necessary to vaccinate against panleukopenia, calicivirus infection, chlamydiosis, rhinotracheitis and leukaemia. Cats that never have any other contact with other cats need only be vaccinated only against panleukopenia, calicivirus infection and rhinotracheitis.

For puppies, kittens and adults that never had any vaccinations a second dose is necessary between 3 and 4 weeks after the first dose. After that they will need only an annual revaccination.
Do not forget that the vaccines are only effective for 21 days after injection.

Common Infectious diseases in dogs

Canine Distemper - is a highly contagious viral disease. It can affect a dogs nervous, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. It is spread through the air or through contact with an infected dog. This disease can be fatal. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, and seizures.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis - is a viral disease is known as adenovirus. It is spread by contact with an infected animal. It affects the liver, kidney, and cells lining the blood vessels. Symptoms include high fever, thirst, inflammation on the nose and mouth, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, liver damage, haemorrhage, loss of appetite, and lethargy.

Leptospirosis - is an extremely contagious bacterial infection that is spread through urine  of infected animals. Sometimes the early signs of this infection go undetected. This disease can also be transmitted to humans. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and lethargy. There can also be liver and kidney damage caused by this infection.

Parvovirus - is a deadly viral infection in unvaccinated dogs or puppies. It is very common. It is spread by contact with an infected dogs faeces, vomit, and blood. Symptoms include, severe bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, and dehydration. There is a terrible odour to the diarrhoea that is hard to mistake.

Para influenza - is a highly infectious virus that can be one of the causes of kennel cough. It is highly contagious and is spread through the air from infected dogs. This virus can cause severe damage to the respiratory system and can even result in death. Symptoms include, a dry hacking cough, loss of appetite, and runny nose and eyes.

Rabies - is a virus that affects the central nervous system and can result in paralysis and death. Rabies is usually fatal and also a serious public health issue as even in humans this disease is lethal and that is the reason why in many countries as Portugal the vaccination is obligatory. Rabies can be transmitted through the bite or saliva of an infected animal. Symptoms include agitation, unprovoked biting, sensitivity to noise, cramping, difficulty swallowing, and paralysis. This disease is also known as hydrophobia as animals and humans have shown a fear of water and light when infected.

Corona virus - is a highly infectious viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract. This disease is spread through contact with an infected dogs blood, faeces, and vomit. Symptoms include vomiting, fever, diarrhoea and dehydration.

Lyme disease - this disease is caused by the bite of an infected tick. It affects both dogs and humans.  Symptoms include arthritis with the sudden onset of pain and lameness, fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
All these diseases can be prevented by vaccination.