Parasites in cats and dogs

Internal parasites live inside the animal's body, in different locations including the small intestine, the lung, the heart, the subcutaneous tissue or even inside the eye. The majority of internal...

Parasite roundup for 2021

ESCCAP UK & Ireland continues to advise that all UK cats and dogs be treated at least every 3 months to reduce egg shedding. High risk groups (cats and dogs on raw unprocessed diets, those that hunt...

The importance of year-round flea and roundworm prevention in lockdown and beyond

All puppies and kittens are infected with Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati respectively, at or shortly after birth (Overgauuw and Van Knapen, 2013). This occurs through transplacental (puppies) and...

Flea infestation: a snapshot on the common products and the reasons for treatment failure

Fleas are laterally flattened, dark brown insects around 2–5 mm in size. Although fleas are wingless (Figure 1), they are highly mobile because of their strong hind legs adapted for jumping (Wright...

Creepy crawlies in dogs and cats: how to find and treat them

Cheyletiellosis is typically a very mild, but highly contagious skin condition caused by surface living Cheyletiella spp. mites. They can affect many species but are not thought to be host specific;...

A veterinary nurse-led approach to flea control

Adult fleas lay eggs within 24 hours and can lay 40–50 eggs per day. The eggs hatch in 1–6 days and the larvae can then pupate in as little as 10–20 days under warm, humid conditions. Adult fleas can...

The Effect of Climate Change on the Distribution and Incidence of Uk Parasitic Disease

Temperatures below freezing are lethal to adult fleas, dying within 5 days at -1°C and 10 days at 3°C. Survival significantly increases when temperatures exceed 8°C where nearly half of emerged adults...

The flea reproductive break point — what it is and how it is pivotal for successful flea control

The success of cat fleas and their dominance over other species of flea on domestic pets hinges on three factors..

Flea infestations: epidemiology, treatment and control

By far the most commonly seen on both dogs and cats is the ‘cat flea’ Ctenocephalides felis. On the other hand, the ‘dog flea’ Ctenocephalides canis is observed infrequently on dogs and rarely on...

Everyday parasites in companion animals

The everyday parasites that are already endemic within the pet animal population continue to pose diagnostic and control challenges for owners and veterinary professionals. Their control remains...