Summer is here and puppies and kittens are plentiful! There is nothing cuter then a baby animal; whether they are playing, eating or at rest, hands down there is something special about the newness of life and trying to see the world through their eyes, I am willing to bet that while watching them you will catch yourself with a smile on your face.

 

However, as is God’s plan, they do grow up and the baby stage really does not last all that long…so enjoy it while you can. Many consider a dog or cat an adult at 1 year of age, while actually they are in their adolescent stage till about2 years of age.   Remember the terrible two’s of your children? Then you get the idea. This article is dedicated to puppies and kittens and what it takes to keep them healthy and happy.

 

Lets start from the beginning, a female dogs is pregnant for about 62 days, a cat 63-67 days. A dog can get pregnant as early as 5-6 months and cats as early as 4 months! The average litter size is around 6 offspring and litters can have multiple fathers on cats and dogs! If the female is bred by multiple males, she can have offspring from each of those males. If you are not a breeder and you are not having puppies for the benefit of the breed, the most responsible thing to do is to ensure your dog is not reproducing to an already overpopulated society.

 

For those of you who have found yourself owners of puppies and kittens, these next couple of articles are dedicated to educating you about how to keep them healthy and happy. First let’s talk about the intestinal parasites that puppies and kittens can get. Dogs and cats can be victims to several different intestinal parasites or worms, but roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms are the most common.

 

There are six major intestinal parasites that you need to know about. Ideally, intestinal parasite infections in puppies and kittens may cause serious illness or even death before a diagnosis is possible by fecal examination. Puppies and their mothers should be treated with appropriate deworming medication when puppies are 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age, then put on a monthly preventive. Because prenatal infection does not occur in kittens, biweekly treatment can begin at 3 weeks of age, and they can be put on a monthly preventive at 8 or 9 weeks of age. A common thought is if one of the litter has parasites, then most likely the whole litter has them. Keep in mind, while there are some worms that you can see, there are some that are not visible and are deadly if left untreated.   Here is a list of the types of worms that dogs and cats can get. There are several types of over the counter wormers out there, which over the years I have found ineffective. We at the Humane Society use a product called Pyrantel Pamoate for some cases or Panacure for others, for puppies and kittens we use Pyrantel Pamoate which you can purchase at Southern States or a store like that. For adults or heavy infestation we use Panacure. Keep in mind however that different parasites may call for different treatments, so it’s imperative you know exactly what you’re dealing with, and a fecal test through your vet can provide you that valuable information.

 

 

Here is a list of parasites with a short description and how they can affect you as well.

 

HOOKWORMS (Ancylostoma spp): These worms are most commonly seen in young dogs and cats. Adult worms live in the small intestine. The eggs pass out of the body in the stool. Animals become infected with hookworms by eating infective eggs or larvae; penetration of footpads or skin by larvae; transmission through the milk while nursing; or, transmission from the mother into the fetus while still pregnant. It takes three weeks from the time of infection until eggs are passed into the stool. Hookworm infection can cause a severe and sometimes fatal anemia in the young, weak, or malnourished animals. Clinical signs are weight loss, diarrhea, and bloody, tarry stools.   Sometimes the worms are seen in the feces. Treatment consists of oral deworming medication and correction of any anemia. A follow up treatment is given 3 weeks later. The worms look like long strings of spaghetti and usually will come out in the feces once the dewormer is administered. All fecal material needs to be picked up and disposed of for the next 5-7 days during treatment. Any other pets exposed to hookworms should also be treated. Several heartworm preventives contain added medication to help prevent re-infection with hookworms.

 

Public health significance: The hookworm larvae can penetrate human skin and potentially cause a skin problem called ‘cutaneous larval migrans’ or ‘creeping eruption.’ No one should be barefoot for 5-7 days while the pet is being treated for hookworms.

 

ROUNDWORMS (Toxocara spp): These worms are also commonly seen in young dogs and cats. The adults live in the small intestine and the eggs are passed in the stool. Animals are infected by ingestion of other infected animals (rats); or, by pre-natal infection. Eggs are passed in the stool 3 weeks after infection. Infection with roundworms can cause poor hair coat, diarrhea, ill-thrift, pot-bellied appearance, and sometimes secondary bacterial pneumonia. Worms can sometimes be vomited up or seen in the feces. Treatment is with an oral deworming medication with a follow up dosage in 3 weeks. All fecal material needs to be picked up and disposed of for the next 5-7 days. Again, the worms will be seen in the stool and they look like spaghetti. Most heartworm preventives contain medication to help prevent re-infection with the worms.

 

Public health significance: Roundworm larvae can penetrate human skin. The migrating larvae can affect various organs in the body—causing mechanical damage and also granulomas to form. This disease is called ‘Visceral larval migrans.’ No one should be barefoot for 5-7 days following treatment.

 

WHIPWORMS (Trichuris sp): This worm is diagnosed in dogs 3 months of age or older. The adults live in the large intestine and eggs are passed in the feces. Diagnosis can sometimes be difficult because whipworms are not prolific egg-layers. Infection is via fecal-oral transmission. Eggs do not appear in the feces until 3 months post-infection. Clinical signs that can be seen are weight loss and diarrhea (+/- blood). These worms are usually not seen in the stool. Treatment consists of an oral deworming medication with a follow up treatment in 3 months. One of the monthly heartworm preventives will also prevent re-infection with this parasite.

 

TAPEWORMS (Dipylidium and Taenia spp): The adult cestodes live in the intestine of dogs and cats. The Dipylidium sp is obtained by eating an infected flea. The Taenia sp can be transmitted by eating infected small mammals (rats). Diagnosis is by visualization of the small, ‘rice-like’ worms in the stool (most common method); or seeing the eggs on a fecal flotation exam. The eggs and worm segments are inconsistently shed in the feces. A negative fecal flotation exam does not completely rule out the possibility of tapeworm infection. Clinical signs are rare since tapeworm infection rarely causes a problem. Some clinical signs can be unthriftiness, shaggy coat, irritability, diarrhea, or lethargy. Treatment is via oral deworming medication or an injection. Control can be achieved by preventing exposure to fleas.

 

Public health significance: Problems are rare. People can become infected with the Echinococcus and Taenia spp by association with infected dogs or infected meat.

 

GIARDIASIS: This is a common protozoan of all animals. It lives in the small intestine. Infection is via the fecal-oral route. The incubation period is 1-2 weeks. Clinical signs can be in apparent, continuous, or persistent with diarrhea and weight loss. Several examinations are sometimes needed to identify the organism. Treatment is with oral medication to all exposed pets.

 

Public health significance: People can become infected with this protozoa by fecal-oral transmission, which includes drinking untreated water (rivers and streams).

 

COCCIDIOSIS (Isospora and Eimeria spp): Different species of coccidia infect all animals. Transmission is fecal-oral and usually due to unsanitary conditions. It is commonly seen in the young and immune suppressed animals. Clinical signs can be in apparent or entail weight loss, lethargy, and a mucoid (+/- blood) diarrhea. Treatment is by oral medication for 10 days. All exposed pets should be treated. Sanitary measures should be taken and raw meat should not be fed.

 

PREVENTION:

• Fecal examination of your pet’s stool should be done every 6-12 months.
• Use specific dewormers for the type of parasite present, as determined by microscopic fecal examination.
• Over-the-counter deworming medications may not always be effective.
• Remove feces from your lawn, street, or kennel daily.
• Exercise your pets in grassy areas not frequented by other animals.
• Prevent your pet from eating rodents—such as mice, rats, and rabbits.
• Prevent your pet from eating earthworms (roundworm infection).
• Control fleas!
• Deworm female pets before breeding and again after whelping to prevent infection of newborn pets.
  • Application of heat (boiling water, steam, propane gun, burning straw, etc.) to kill the eggs;
  • Removal of contaminated soil (e.g., 5 to 6 inches of soil properly disposed of); and/or
  • Entombment of eggs under concrete or asphalt.
    • food and water bowls, litter pans, bedding
    • Mutual grooming
    • Fleas, during the active stage
    • In utero, from an infected queen (mother)
    • Human handling can transfer the FVP virus from one cat to another, by contact through hands, clothing, and shoes.
      • Vomiting
      • diarrhea
      • Depression
      • Disinterest in food and water
      • Appearance of the "third eyelid," or haw, in the inner corner of the eye
      • Lack of grooming, evidenced by dull, rough coat
      • Evidence of abdominal pain
      • A "hunched over" postural appearance

Because prenatal infection does not occur in kittens, biweekly treatment can begin at 3 weeks of age and be extended to 9 weeks of age. Nursing dogs and cats should be treated concurrently with their offspring, since they often develop infections along with their young.

 

TOXOPLASMA: This is a coccidial parasite which infects cats. It is important because of its zoonotic potential. If women are exposed to Toxoplasma for the first time while pregnant, their baby can have serious congenital problems. If a woman has already been exposed, there is no danger. Toxoplasma is shed in the fecal material of cats. It is not contagious until it has sporulated, about 3 days after being shed in the feces. HOWEVER, more people get Toxoplasma by eating improperly washed vegetables and improperly cooked meats.  

 

• See your veterinarian if your pet has diarrhea, weight loss, increased scooting, a dull coat, or if you see worms under its tail, in its bedding, or on its stool.
• Prompt treatment of internal parasites lessens your pet's discomfort, decreases the chances of intestinal damage, and decreases the chance that your pet will infect humans or other animals.
• Good hygiene and sanitation reduce the chances that your pet will infect people or animals. You can help prevent the spread of infection by always cleaning up your pet's droppings immediately.

 

If your dogs live in an outside lot, here are some things to consider. Ascarid and whipworm eggs are highly resistant to environmental conditions and may persist in the soil for years. Extreme measures are needed for decontamination, including:

 

Children’s sandboxes should be covered when not in use. To remove hookworm larvae, metal or concrete surfaces should be decontaminated with bleach or ammonia, while soil and gravel should be decontaminated with heat or a desiccant such as sodium borate.

Note that sodium borate will kill vegetation

 

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. Heartworms are classified as a species of roundworm. Dogs and cats of any age or breed are susceptible to infection. You should begin your pup at 4 months on monthly heart worm medication to protect them from this parasite and others.

 

Heart Worms are very expensive to treat (up to $800) for a 60lb dog! When you put your pet on a monthly heartworm preventative, you are also treating it for some of the other worms we have already talked about. When you consider a monthly cost of roughly $5 that takes care of all those worms, it’s a no brainer as my Mom would say! There are several products on the market you can purchase through the internet, but keep in mind, that there are a lot of counterfeit drugs out there and I personally would never trust something like that from the internet. You must have the test done by your vet that ensures your pet does not have Heartworms to begin the preventative medicine for them. To be safe, this test is performed yearly when you take your pet for its checkup. The disease is spread by mosquitoes that become infected with microfilariae while taking a blood meal from an infected dog. Within the mosquito, the microfilariae mature into the infective larval stage. When the mosquito then bites another dog, cat, or susceptible animal, the larvae are deposited on the skin and actively migrate into the new host. For about 2 months the larvae migrate through the connective tissue, under the skin, then pass into the animal's venous blood stream and are quickly transported to the arteries of the lung. It takes a total of approximately six months for the infective larvae to mature into adult worms that begin producing offspring, microfilariae. Adult heartworms can live for five to seven years in the dog.

 

In the dog, the larvae progress in their development to an adult form of the worm, and live in the pulmonary vessels, where they continue the life cycle and cause extensive injury. The period of time when heartworms are reproductively capable is referred to as patency. In cats, it takes seven to eight months before adult worms potentially reach patency in the pulmonary vessels, and this is referred to as transient patency, as reproductive capability in the cat is usually very short (months) compared to that of dogs (years). In most cases the cat is not an effective reservoir host, since microfilaria are produced in less than 20% of the cats.

In the cat, the larvae molt as well, but fewer worms survive to adulthood. While dogs may suffer from severe heart and lung damage from heartworm infection, cats typically exhibit minimal changes in the heart. The cat's primary response to the presence of heartworms occurs in the lungs.

 

Another extremely important factor to your pets health, is vaccination against some nasty diseases. Pet owners should be aware of the fact that puppies and kittens are usually born with some immunity which soon wanes, that is why vaccinations are important and necessary.

 

Among the most vicious puppy diseases and illnesses is canine distemper which is viral and a highly contagious infection that can present itself in three ways: canine distemper with diarrhea, pulmonary distemper with pneumonia and nerve distemper with paralysis. These usually begin with a high fever and drowsiness, diarrhea, a cough, and teary eyes. In more advanced cases, convulsions and many times causes death. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, distemper is the “greatest single disease threat to the world’s dog population. Better than 50 percent of the adult dogs that contract the disease die from it. Among puppies, the death rate from distemper often reaches 80 percent.” Distemper affects other animals as well; raccoons, coyotes, wolves, foxes, ferrets, skunks, weasels, mink, badgers, hyenas, and jackals can also catch the disease and a population of lions in Africa has been decimated by it. The virus is spread through secretions in saliva, respiratory passages, urine, and feces and by inhalation of airborne droplets from sneezes and coughs. The most common victim is an unvaccinated pup between the ages of three months and eight months. However, older dogs can contract the disease as well if they have not been vaccinated or if their immunity is incomplete.

Distemper may be misdiagnosed in its early stages because it begins as an upper respiratory infection resembling a cold, including fever of 103-105 degrees (normal for a dog is 100-102.5), loss of appetite, listlessness, and a watery discharge from eyes and nose. But dogs do not get colds like people do, so if these symptoms arise with a puppy, call the veterinary clinic immediately. Within a few days, the discharge turns yellow and becomes thick and sticky and the pup has a dry cough, and may have diarrhea and vomiting. Within the first two weeks of the disease, the symptoms fluctuate.

 

Some dogs shake off the disease after this stage, but others progress into pneumonia and neurological involvement. Seizures, encephalitis, partial paralysis, head-tilting, chorea (jerking or twitching) and other neurological signs can follow. Some dogs also experience a hardening of the nose leather and the footpads. Even if the initial disease has been mild, these symptoms can show up weeks later.  

 

Treatment consists of fluids to prevent dehydration, antibiotics to treat or prevent secondary infection, drugs to stop diarrhea and vomiting, and anti-convulsants and sedatives to control seizures. Prevention is better. There are vaccines for puppies and adult dogs that provide immunity to the disease. Most veterinarians and breeders recommend a course of vaccinations for puppies to build immunity as the mother’s antibodies diminish in the puppy’s body.

 

In the late 1970s, a previously unknown, rapid-onset, deadly virus began attacking canine digestive systems with great fury, often killing puppies within 48 hours. Spread through contact with infected feces, the long-lived virus attacked rapidly reproducing cells such as those lining the gastrointestinal tract, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and heart. Researchers identified the disease as a canine parvovirus, CPV-2, perhaps a mutation of feline panleukopenia or a parvovirus that affects wildlife.

 

Canine parvovirus survives in the environment up to a year or more and clings to shoes, floors, beds, and other surfaces where it can infect the next unprotected puppy to enter the house. It is resistant to most household cleansers but can be killed by bleach (For hard, nonporous surface disinfection: Use ¾ cup Clorox Bleach in one gallon of water/10 minute contact time, to kill the following). Parvovirus can wipe out a litter, a kennel, a shelter, a pet store once it gets hold. Kennels that experience the disease often close their doors until they bleach every surface, towel, and dog bed.

 

Parvovirus incubates for seven to 14 days. Initial signs of illness are lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting, followed within 24 hours by high fever (up to 106 degrees) and profuse, often bloody diarrhea. The dog’s abdomen is tucked up and he appears to be in extreme pain. Some puppies show only the first stage of depression and abdominal pain, then go into shock and die.

 

Parvovirus can also attack the rapidly-growing myocardial (muscle) cells of the heart in puppies born to a female who is not vaccinated against the disease. Those puppies that survive this form of the disease often have heart problems and die young.

Food and water should be withheld until the puppy’s system begins to overcome the disease. Small amounts of a bland diet of cottage cheese and rice or a prescription diet can be offered once the diarrhea and vomiting have subsided.

 

As with distemper, parvovirus is best prevented by vaccination. However, because there can be a gap between the gradual decline in residual immunity from mother’s milk and the pup’s ability to respond to the vaccination, some vaccinated puppies may still get the disease. Therefore, cleanliness of the kennel facilities is imperative. Kennel runs and puppy cages should be cleaned of organic matter and then bleached before new animals are brought in. Adjacent runs should be bleached if they are contaminated by flowing water during the hosing. Although it is not as serious in adults as in puppies, parvovirus can attack adult dogs. Therefore booster vaccinations are also recommended.

 

Other diseases that a vaccines protect against are Canine Hepatitis is a contagious viral infection and the symptoms are similar to those of canine distemper with, abdominal pain, and inflammation in the mouth and nose area as well as drowsiness, high fever, and vomiting. Leptospirosis is an infection that is transmitted through urine and it is contagious to humans. The symptoms of Leptospirosis are, fever, tiredness, vomiting, gastrointestinal alterations, renal problems etc. Parvovirus is a virus that appears suddenly with bloody diarrhea and vomiting caused by serious degenerative enteritis. The beginning symptoms

can be fatal within the first forty eight to seventy two hours. The symptoms are fever, drowsiness, extreme depression, anorexia, bloody watery stools or mucous with a very intense odor. Corona virus directly affects the digestive apparatus causing the puppy or dog to vomit, have diarrhea and lose weight. It is similar to gastroenteritis. Para influenza affects the dogs respiratory system and causes bronchitis and mucous. Other symptoms include, runny nose, and cough. There is now a vaccine for the dog flu. While there have been cases of dogs who have died from it, talk with your vet about its necessity for your pet, as well as the bordetalla vaccination, which is required if you ever board your dog at a pubic kennel. It assists with the kennel cough virus and if your pet is around strange dogs, it would be wise to protect against it.

 

In cats, the suggested core vaccines are feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus. Feline Panleuk, as it is often called, is an extremely contagious virus of the parvovirus group, with a high mortality rate, which often targets kittens. Areas with large populations of unvaccinated cats, such as feral colonies or homes of "cat collectors," are particularly susceptible to panleuk outbreaks.

 

The feline panleuk virus (FVP) is extremely hardy and may survive for months, and even years. It is easily transmitted through contact, either cat-to-cat, or by human-to-cat :

The initial symptoms are also found with many other diseases, and always indicate the need for a veterinary examination.

 

Treatment involves alleviating vomiting and diarrhea, to prevent subsequent dehydration, along with steps to prevent secondary bacterial infections, until the cat's natural immune system takes over.

 

To protect your puppy or kitten against these deadly diseases, a vaccine regiment to form a good immune response is to begin their vaccine regiment at; 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks for puppies and for kittens; 8,12, and 16 weeks. When they get their yearly check up they will possibly receive a booster shot along with their heart worm test and overall health exam. I realize that live stock feed stores also sell these vaccines, but every vet I have ever talked with about these vaccines tell me over and over how many puppies/kittens they have treated with one or more of the above talked about puppy/kitten illnesses who have been vaccinated with one of these vaccines. The potential problem with these types of vaccines is that they have to be kept at a specific temperature to ensure the vaccine is viable, if they get warm it kills the vaccine. There is no way to know if during shipment and stocking these vaccines were kept at the required temperature, based on the number of young animals treated who have been given vaccines this way it’s like playing Russian Roulette.   While I understand the economic downturn we are all facing, these vaccines are better than providing nothing at all, in my opinion. There are also rabies clinics that you can get your dog the required rabies vaccine. Search the internet for local clinics or check with local animal control.

 

While providing health care for your pet is one of the most important things you can do for your animal companion, training and socialization is also of upmost importance. There are simple things you can do to ensure that your pet is well behaved and content. I believe that dogs should be allowed to be dogs and cats should be allowed to be cats. In my years of dealing with the public and their animals, a reoccurring issue I hear about is pet behavior and not understanding it. Educating yourself about the type of pet you have is the first step in ensuring that your pet will live safely and happily within your home and family, where it belongs.

 

For example, for puppies, a wonderful healthy treat to consider are carrots!! Yes, carrots are great for teething and are great treats.  As for toys, you want to ensure that they do not come apart, so check them daily and discard ones that are torn. Keep in mind that anything small enough to be swallowed is bad news, for some dogs, plastic gallon jugs are good toys, but the minute they start to tear them up, get new ones.   Pet Smart carries tibial and femoral bones that have been super pressurized so that it is very hard for the pet to chip and break, which can cause serious health issues, but these should be discarded once they start falling apart. For those who have dogs outside in kennels cedar shavings are really bad, even though they smell good, be aware that a lot of pets are allergic to the aromatics that are the active "ingredient". Pine shavings ( like in horse stalls) are the better type of bedding.  Cats love to play in paper-type grocery bags!