Dog Diseases – Canine Trichuriasis

Canine Trichuriasis is caused by Trichuris fox parasites in the cecum of dogs. This disease mainly harms puppies and can cause death when severely infected.

Pathogen and life history

Trichuris trichiura is milky white. The anterior part is slender and filamentous, which is the esophagus, accounting for about 2/3 of the total length of the worm. The back part is the body, short and thick. The length of the worm is 45 to 75 mm. The back of the female is blunt and straight. The tail of the male is curled. Eggs excreted with feces. Under suitable conditions, it will develop into infectious eggs in about 3 weeks. After the dog swallows the infectious eggs, the larvae hatch in the intestines. It burrows into the mucosa of the front of the small intestine and stays for 2-10 days, and then enters the cecum to develop into adults.

Diagnosis points

(1) Clinical symptoms Generally, infection does not show clinical symptoms. Severe infections can cause acute or chronic enteritis because the head of the worm burrows deeply into the human mucosa. Insects suck blood often leading to anemia in sick dogs.

(2) Laboratory examinations The saturated saline flotation method can be used to examine the eggs in the feces.

(3) A large number of parasites (hundreds to thousands) can be found in the cecum after death.

Prevention

(1) Deworming Phenol pyrimidine (Hydroxypyrimidine) is a special medicine for repelling whipworms, 2 mg/kg body weight, orally, or mebendazole 100 mg/kg body weight, orally, twice a day for 3 to 5 days. Sulbendazole can also be used.

(2) Do a good job in cleaning and hygiene. Use the characteristics of insect eggs to be sensitive to dryness, keep the kennel clean and dry, and reduce the chance of infection.