The risk of emerging infections in pets

Since 2020, there has been an increasing number of reports of B. canis infection in dogs. Most of these have been in dogs directly imported into the UK from Eastern Europe, or in close contacts of...

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...

Summer parasite update 2022

Increasing numbers of imported rescue cats and dogs have been seen over the past few years with associated risk of exotic pathogens entering the UK. These numbers are also likely to be swelled in 2022...

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...

Zoonotic parasite protection in the practice setting

Bites and scratches leading to compromise of the skin barrier can in turn, lead to the introduction of bacteria and ringworm. Cat bites and scratches are a particular risk for Bartonella henselae (the...

Nurse parasite clinics and the benefits of routine testing

Coproantigen or faecal flotation can be used as an alternative to routine preventative treatment for intestinal nematodes as long as testing is carried out at least four times a year and the client...

Summer parasite update 2021

This time last year, the key themes were:.

Parasite roundup 2020

No one could have predicted the hot topics for 2020. We expected a large focus on pet travel as Brexit agreements were confirmed and pet travel legislation was ironed out. The end of 2019 also saw the...

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;...

Faecal-oral parasite transmission and the veterinary nurse's role in education

Toxocara spp. are a group of intestinal nematodes with species infecting dogs (Toxocara canis) and cats (Toxocara cati), both of which have zoonotic potential. Adult worms lie in the small intestine...

Current parasitological threats in the UK

Cat fleas are thriving in the UK with recent mild winters and wet, warm summers allowing prolonged survival and favourable breeding conditions in outdoor environments. Central heating also allows...

Clinical signs of parasitic disease in imported pets

By being aware of the clinical presentations of the potentially imported parasites discussed in this article, further investigation can be performed, and treatment initiated from an early stage. This...

ABC series on diagnostic parasitology part 1: the Willis method

Before discussing the method, it is important to consider the sample. Ideally, faecal examinations should be conducted on fresh faecal material. If faecal samples are analysed (or submitted to the...