Spot 6 Common Dog External Parasites: A Must-Read for P

Summer, with its warm and humid weather, is a prime season for parasites to thrive. Without regular deworming for your dog or if the same deworming medication is used for an extended period, your furry friend may fall victim to parasitic infections. Effective deworming requires targeted treatment! But how does a beginner distinguish between the various external parasites that might infest a dog? Don't worry, today we're diving into an introduction to five common external parasites that can affect your canine companion.

1. Fleas

Symptoms of Infection:

Nonallergic: Frequent scratching and biting at the skin, which can lead to anemia, especially in puppies, sick, or elderly dogs.

Allergic: Dogs allergic to flea saliva may develop Flea Allergic Dermatitis (FAD), characterized by severe itching, scratching, hair loss, skin damage, and potential secondary bacterial infections leading to widespread inflammation.

Deworming Methods:

Use Advantix (nonpyrethroid spoton) for deworming.

Ensure indoor deworming to prevent recurring infections.

2. Lice

Symptoms of Infection:

Dogs with lice often exhibit skin itching, leading to excessive licking or scratching. This can lead to eczema, papules, pustules, and, in severe cases, anemia and weakness.

Deworming Methods:

Use deworming medications containing afuxin, fipronil, pyriproximate moxidectin, nonpyrethroids, and selamectin.

Clean and disinfect your dog's daily items and regularly expose the dog bed to sunlight.

3. Ticks

Symptoms of Infection:

Ticks do not cause itching or pain upon attachment or biting, so initial infection symptoms may be subtle. Severe infections can lead to anemia. Improper tick removal can cause inflammatory granulomas.

Deworming Methods:

Use external deworming medications containing moxidectin and selamectin.

Apply alcohol or deworming medication to the tick's head to paralyze or kill it, then use tweezers to remove the tick by its head. If the tick does not release its grip after medication, repeat the process until it does. After removal, apply iodine to prevent infection.

4. Ear Mites

Symptoms of Infection:

Ear mites can cause unilateral or bilateral infections, leading to ear itching and pain. Dogs may shake their heads or scratch at their ears, resulting in redness, dark brown, dry exudates, and a strong odor.

Deworming Methods:

Use deworming medications containing selamectin, pyriproximate moxidectin, and ivermectin.

Clean the ear canals with a gentle ear cleanser and apply miconazole nitrate ointment.

Continue treatment for at least 21 days to prevent recurrence.

5. Demodex Mites

Symptoms of Infection:

Dogs with Demodex mites may show redness, pustules, papules, and pustules, along with hair loss. This can lead to secondary bacterial infections and severe systemic symptoms.

Deworming Methods:

Visit a veterinary clinic for ivermectin injections and use external deworming medications containing selamectin, pyriproximate moxidectin, and avermectin for preventive deworming.

Bathe the dog with amitraz, twice a day for several days, but avoid allowing the dog to lick the medication to prevent poisoning.

Treatment for Demodex mites is lengthy, requiring at least three months, so it's crucial to adhere to the treatment schedule and regular deworming to prevent recurrence.

6. Scabies Mites

Symptoms of Infection:

Intense itching, hair loss, and the appearance of redness, papules, scales, and crusts, often accompanied by secondary bacterial and fungal infections. Commonly found on the face, ear pinnae, legs, and lower abdomen.

Deworming Methods:

Use deworming medications containing selamectin, ivermectin, and avermectin, and inject ivermectin in severe cases.

Regularly clean and disinfect the environment, vacuum the indoor environment regularly, and clean the dog bed and cage regularly.

If scabies causes severe inflammation, oral antibiotics such as cefadroxil tablets or amoxicillinclavulanate potassium may be required.

Regular deworming is crucial for your dog's health. In addition to external parasites, dogs can also be infected with various internal parasites, such as roundworms, tapeworms, and coccidia. Therefore, it's essential to also pay attention to regular internal deworming.