• Management Practices
• Anthelmintic Control

Control of endoparasites in dogs is accomplished by using effective worming products. However, control of some parasites, particularly Toxocara and Taenia, may be aided by preventing dogs from eating rodents and the viscera of domestic animals. Control of Dirofilaria immitis should include a program to reduce mosquito populations. However, effective worming products remain the mainstay of internal parasite control in dogs.

Management Practices

The most important management practice for the control of canine endoparasites is effective sanitation. Faeces should be removed from kennels and runs frequently. Dogs' exercise areas should possess hard, easy to clean surfaces. The use of disinfectants in the cleaning of runs is desirable. However, many parasite eggs are very resistant, and can be killed only by prolonged steam or flame thrower treatment of kennel areas.

Parasites usually develop best in warmth and moisture, so infection can be minimised by ensuring that all dog runs are constructed with good drainage, adequate ventilation, and, is possible, exposure to sunlight.

It is good management practice to have dogs examined periodically for parasite infections and treated with the appropriate anthelmintics. Good management practices with bitches are especially important to prevent transmission of Toxacara canis or transmammary transmission of threadworms or hookworms.

Canine infection with some parasites is dependent upon contact with another animal species that is serving as the intermediate host. Dogs should be prevented from eating the uncooked meat of intermediate hosts, such as rabbits that may transmit Taenia pisiformis, or sheep and cattle that may harbour other tapeworms. Since insects act as the intermediate host for Dirofilaria, Dipylidium, and Dipetalonema, insect control is an important consideration in the prevention of those parasites. Slugs serve as the intermediate host of Filaroides osleri.

Anthelmintic Control

Drugs used to control nematodes and cestodes are termed anthelmintics. Anthelmintics may eliminate parasites in a variety of ways, such as paralysing them and allowing the host to expel them, by halting their ability to metabolise nutrients, thus killing them, or by limiting their ability to reproduce. Different chemicals may act on one or more of these ways. Anthelmintics should have the following characteristics:

• Be effective when used under a variety of conditions. Parasites vary greatly in their susceptibility to different drugs.
• Have a wide therapeutic index or margin of safety. That is, the dose of the drug used should be toxic to the parasite without causing any damage to the host
• Be easy to administer

Damage to Host

Diagnosis