Animal Care Center & Pet Resort

800 Pulaski Highway

Joppa, MD  21085

Phone 410-676-2525         Fax 410-676-5151

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions that pop up from time to time in our exam rooms.  Hopefully these are some answers that you can apply to your needs at home.

Some of the topics include, but are not limited to:

Contagious Diseases, Breeds, Diets, Crating, Feces eating, When do I make an appointment?, Traveling, Human Foods to avoid etc.,

Disease Control

Question:  Can I get Lyme Disease or Heartworm Disease from my pet?

Answer:  You can NOT get either disease by touching your pet.  However, if the tick that gave your pet Lyme Disease then attaches to you for 24 hours, there is a risk that you can contract the disease.  If a mosquito infected with Heartworm Disease bites your pet and then bites you, you could get the disease. 

Question:  Can I get worms from my pet?

Answer:  YES.  There are certain internal parasites that your pet can carry that can be transmitted to you or your children!  It is crucial to have your pet's stool checked on a yearly basis.  If you live in an area where your pet is eating rodents, feces, or getting into trash, you may want to have them dewormed biannually.

 

A. List of NO parasites:   Coccidia are one celled protozoans that are intracellular parasites of the lining of the small intestine that occur with some frequency. Eimeria and Isospora are the two most common coccidia of the dog. Infection occurs upon ingestion of contaminated feces or food. Upon ingestion, the parasite colonizes the lining of the small intestine and reproduction begins. As reproduction progresses the new coccidia are shed through the feces to the environment. Shedding of the protozoan can be asymptomatic or associated with signs of diarrhea and bloody stools. Puppies are most commonly affected. Most infections are not apparent and resolve on their own by self immunization. Occasionally, signs will occur and can be quite severe in heavily compromised pups. Adult dogs usually display significant immunity. Treatment for coccidia consist of antimicrobials that are bacteriostatic. These drugs stop the growth of coccidia and then the host¹s immune system responds to rid the intestine of the parasite. Sulfas are frequently employed as a coccidiastat. In kennel environments, prevention is essential. Usually good steam cleaning of kennels will eliminate the infestation of the environment. When the environment is difficult to control coccidiastats can be added in the feed or water for late stage pregnant bitches or young pups 3-6 weeks of age. Coccidia of the dog are not a zoonotic threat. Whipworms are common but less prevalent parasites. Whipworms are found in warm humid climates and are much less prevalent in the western dry areas of North America. In addition, the difficulty in diagnosing this parasite may disguise its actual incidence. It may require several fecal samples to demonstrate the egg in a microscopic exam. Whipworms are acquired by ingestion of the egg from contaminated feces. The egg is capable of surviving in the environment for months. Upon ingestion, the egg matures and the adult infection occurs in 2-3 months as the worm burrows into the lining of the large bowel and cecum. Clinical signs are that of colitis: straining, mucous diarrhea with occasional blood and an urge to defecate small volumes frequently. A. List of YES parasites: Roundworms (Toxocara) are very common. It has been speculated that 85% of puppies are infected with roundworms. Toxocara canis (TC) and Toxocara leonina (TL) are the two roundworms of the dog, with the former being far more prominent. Both worms are large, around 3 inches. Both are diagnosed by standard microscopic fecal exams. False negatives occur when no eggs have been shed into the sample presented. Infection occurs in both TC and TL by ingestion of eggs when contaminated feces are shed into the environment. However, the vast majority of TC infection occurs by transplacental migration from the bitch to the pup. Immature larvae from either method of transmission of TC undergo migration from the gut into various tissues. The majority of the larvae migrate through the liver, diaphragm, lungs and up the major airways. As they move up the trachea, occasionally several worms will be coughed up by the pup and discovered in the expectorant. Most of TC will continue their migration and be swallowed, moving down the esophagus, into the stomach and back into the small intestine where they reach adult status and begin shedding eggs. Some of the migrating larvae become encysted in tissues as migration occurs. They remain there without consequence during the dog¹s life. Infection by TL does not produce this larval migration. Most dogs develop some immunity to reinfection of TC and TL. Reinfection can add to the existing burden of encysted immature larvae but usually does not result in intestinal infection. Adult infection is estimated to be around 10-15% in the US. Encysted larvae return to the intestine when severe stress occurs to the host. The best example is the pregnant bitch which regularly passes TC via the placenta to its offspring. As a consequence almost all puppies are positive for roundworms. TC does have a serious zoonotic threat when larval migration enters vital tissue of man , in particular the eye. Children are at the greatest risk because they tend to put their fingers into their mouth without proper hygiene. The high incidence of TC and the serious health concern in children make a cogent argument for vigorous round worming schedules in puppies. Signs of roundworms can be serious in puppies producing abdominal pain, bloating, dull coat , diarrhea and occasionally fatal small bowel obstruction. Migration can cause respiratory signs that mimic upper respiratory infections. Occasionally, serious pneumonia result. Adult dogs rarely show GI signs but can compromise their overall condition, especially if other diseases are active. Hookworms are common parasites of dogs regardless of age. They are most common in warm humid climates but, exist all over North America. Ancylostoma and Uncinaria are the two hookworms found. The incidence of Ancylostoma is just under 20% in all ages of dogs. Uncinaria is found in about 1% of the dogs and is more common in Canada. Both worms are transmitted by chance skin penetration by the immature larvae or by ingestion of contaminated feces. Hookworm is a zoonotic. Skin penetration of infective larvae penetrate the bare foot of man and cause mostly a self limiting local skin irritation for three weeks. In the dog hookworm can be severe to unapparent. After eggs are deposited onto the ground in the feces, hot humid temperatures will precipitate the development of larvae. After skin penetration, migration of the larvae into the blood stream carry them around the body and into many tissues. Most are brought to the lungs and like roundworms are swallowed back into the intestinal tract 3 weeks later. As mature hookworms, they attach to the lining of the intestinal track and suck blood. Hookworm larvae also migrate into the gestating pup and continue to mature when the pup is born. Puppy hookworm can be profound and require strong supportive care. Severe hookworm infection can cause marked anemia, intermittent bloody diarrhea, dull dry hair coat, and weight loss. Young and adults dogs that are immunocompromised or suffer with another disease are most at risk. Tapeworms in dogs are less common than in the cat, probably because of their feeding habits and environmental restrictions. They represent a minority of the parasites seen in the dog but do occur regularly They apparently do not stimulate any immunity by the host. The common tapeworms of dogs pose no threat to humans. However, Echinococcus, an uncommon tapeworm, but increasing in frequency, is potentially fatal to humans. Dipylidium caninum and Taenia pisiformis are the common tapeworms of dogs. They are passed to the dog by ingestion of the intermediate host of the tapeworm. The flea is the intermediate host of Dipylidium and rabbits and rodents are the intermediate host for Taenia. Dogs ingest the intermediate host and release the intermediate stage of the tapeworm into the GI of the final canine host where the parasite matures to an adult in the small bowel. Eggs are shed to the environment from the GI of the dog in small segments that look like small pieces of rice. These segments can often be seen in fresh feces or attached to the adjacent tissues of the dog¹s anus. As the segments dessicate they release microscopic eggs into the environment for the cycle to begin again. Mature adult Dipylidium and Taenia reach 50cm. or more in length. Signs of Dipylidium and Taenia infestation are unapparent. These parasites seem to be innocuous in the dog. Their only threat is their repugnancy and the potential to further debilitate a compromised pet. Treatment for these two tapeworms is either oral or by injection under the skin. Several drugs are available. They include praziquantel, epsiprantel, fenbendazole and mebendazole. Prevention of Dipylidium consists of good flea control. Prevention of Taenia is difficult if your dog is a good rodent and rabbit hunter and may require prophylactic tape worming several times a year. Giardia is another protozoan intestinal parasite that infects many mammals including man. It problably is a zoonotic. The parasite is one of several flagellates (mobile tails attached to the single cell) that infect mammals. The disease produced is variable depending on the individual and age. Young puppies are most often affected. Signs usually occur 1-2 weeks after infection and often the disease goes unnoticed or is self limiting after a bout of diarrhea. It can produce severe diarrhea and fluid loss. Most cases that show signs are mild with minimal depression. The parasite is passed in the feces and is consumed directly by the next host. Giardia is very hardy and can remain in the environment for a number of months waiting for a suitable host. In addition, contaminated water is a frequent source of the flagellate. Diagnosing giardia can be demanding and may require frequent microscopic fecal examinations. Recently immunodiagnostics have been researched with some success. Giardia responds very well to treatment. Metronidazole, an oral antibiotic, is the drug of choice given daily for 5 days. However, because of resistance other drugs are being tried and may possibly replace metronidazole.

What is my dog mixed with?

Excellent question!  Even though I have the feeling your dog lacks a mixture of cow, or vampire and has no hint of Bald Eagle, your dog is a unique character.  There is a test that we can do to find out what breeds are found in your mixed pooch. (Sorry cats, you are on your own.  Welcome to Domestic Shorthairville)  It is a DNA test that requires a blood sample.  It takes about a month to get results, but the paperwork details as far back as the grandparents to your pet!  It is expensive but worth it if you are truly baffled by the many personalities of your pet.

Check it out to see if you are interested in getting it done:

Dog DNA Test | Mixed Breed Analysis | Canine Breed Testing

Travel

Question:  What precautions should I take when traveling with my pets?

Answer:  We highly suggest NOT putting your dogs in the back of an open truck.  Flying debris could injure them, they could fall out or see something and decide to go after it.

For cats you should crate when traveling ANY distance.  There are few things worse than a loose cat in a car who is afraid with all claws and teeth.  Be sure that the crate is secure in the vehicle so that when taking a sharp turn , Fluffy doesn't take a turn for the worse.  Dogs can use a harness (seat belt) or be put in a secure crate as well.  Why buckle your pet up or crate them?  If in an accident, they could be thrown from the vehicle and injured.  They could run loose into traffic and cause another accident or worse, get hit by another car.  Also, insurance for your pet through your car insurance is becoming popular and they require proper restraint.  I have read that dogs will chew through seat belts, so buy a sturdy one, and dogs in crates that are facing sideways get carsick.  Face the crates forward.

Diet

This is a huge subject.  HUGE!  Most of our pet population is OVERWEIGHT!  Some of us think that we show our affection to our companions by feeding them.  Whether it is table scraps or treats- the loveth runneth over.  Did you know that we shave off approx. 5 years when our pets are obese?  Diabetes, heart and lung issues as well as hip, back and neck problems are just a couple of the downsides to porking up your pooch or fatting up your feline. 

As puppies and kittens, we can get away with feeding a little more on a daily basis.  Growing cats and dogs burn more calories with all of that energy!  Feeding 3 meals a day is a plus for all the little ones.  As far as a specific diet, we suggest sticking to a more well known diet that is specific to your pet's needs such as a large breed puppy diet for labs and danes., or an indoor only formula for the cats that are indoors, etc.,

If you MUST love your pet through it's tummy, try raw baby carrots, green beans, cut up apple (NO CORES OR SEEDS) or you could add some water to your pet's current food and make into a dough, shape it and throw into the oven on 250 for about 15 minutes or so.  My dog's think ICE cubes are treats, so after some fun in the sun, I toss a few of them as goodies.  If you are having a hard time battling the bulge with your pet you may need to look into it as a medical issue.  Some pets lose or gain weight due to medical conditions.  Please call us if you have any questions!  We can print out a specific diet plan for you!