Articles: parasites and pets

Veterinary parasitologist Dr. Michael Dryden, professor of Veterinary Parasitology, in the Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology at Kansas State University says right now – in the fall – is the time when ticks most often transmit Lyme disease to dogs. Spring and summer are the most common times for people to be infected, but…

Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne disease that can affect both dogs and humans, will continue to pose a problem in the United States this year, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council. While many may mostly talk about increasing Lyme Disease, also impacting people and dogs, there are other serious tick diseases like ehrlichiosis. In fact,…

So, how safe are dog parks? I’m not referring to dog bites or COVID-19, as it turns out intestinal parasites might be more an issue. Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine parasitologist Dr. Susan Little wanted to find out. So, she investigated dogs parks in over 30 metro areas in the U.S. and recovered…

Don’t wait – stop fleas and ticks right now – or your dog may pay a price (and you too!). He’s known as Dr. Flea, Dr. Michael Dryden, distinguished professor veterinary parasitology Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine says it’s a big mistake to wait. “The ticks are incredibly active.” Listen here to Dr.…

The name Ivermectin might seem familiar to you, especially if you happen to be a pet owner. Ivermectin is the drug name (not the brand name) found in  in monthly heartworm preventions for dogs and cats; it is also used to treat ear mites; mites that cause mange, hookworms and roundworms in companion animals and…

Cats need protection from fleas and ticks too. Dr. Christine Royal of Merck Animal Health talks about how cats can get heartworm. We talk about what can happen, which may be sudden death or heartworm associated respiratory disease (which has asthma-type symptoms). Imagine a 12-inch long worm winding its way inside a cat’s respiratory system.…

Dogs are a sentinel for various tick diseases, most notably Lyme disease. You think Lyme, you likely think either New England – where Lyme is endemic – or you think about tick disease when walking through the woods. It’s true you should think those things. But also think urban parks, like Central Park in New…

Nowadays, there’s a top-10 list for everything. I doubt it ever occurred to David Letterman to create a top-10 for cities with the most heartworm, but he would be thrilled to know there is now such a list. This list is based on the highest percentage increase in positive heartworm test results for dogs and cats…

In the early 1970s people in and around Lyme, CT were suffering from puzzling and debilitating health issues. Eventually, their illnesses were connected to a tick disease, now called Lyme. Historically, Lyme disease centered around the New England area, and was primarily only a problem in rural places. However, that’s changed dramatically, most especially in…

K. Wade Burton, DVM, a Medical Affairs Specialist in Infectious Disease at IDEXX, wants people to know about the importance of screening dogs annually for tick-borne disease. People seem to understand that ticks carry disease, but may not realize a single tick bite may carry a pathogen cocktail – passing along several tick diseases with…