Parasites in Cairn Terriers

Internal parasites (or worms) are common in dogs and include roundworms, hookworms (A. caninum), whipworms (threadworms), heartworm and tapeworms. Animals are also susceptible to coccidia and giardia, protozoa that upset the digestive process. The most common ways of contracting parasites are through contaminated soil, food or water, mosquitoes, licking the ground, transmission from mother to the offspring (before or after birth) and by fleas. Although a breeding bitch may be clear of worms in their digestive tract, the worm larvae are harbored in the muscle and migrate to the fetus inutero. Therefore all puppies are born with intestinal worms and need to be treated starting at 2-3wks of age, every 2 weeks for 3-4 doses. At Crooked Creek Cairn Terriers, we treat our puppies with Nemex 2 at 3 and 5wks, and Panacure at 7wks.

Puppies can be started on monthly heartworm prevention such as Heartguard at 11-12 wks of age, but due to the lifestage of the heartworm, they can't be tested for the presence of heartworms until 7 months of age. So it's important to test your Cairn puppy, even if they've been on monthly preventative. The monthly Heartguard also acts as a dewormer.

Coccidia may be present in adult dogs and only their immune system kills it. But because puppies have an immature immune system, they are not able to fight the coccidia infection and need treated with Albon to inhibit the growth of coccidia, allowing their immune system to overcome it. It's not uncommon for puppies who are stressed when taken from their siblings and going home with their family, to suddenly have bloody diarrhea. They may have gotten the coccidia from their mother, but were able to fight it with their immune system, until the immune system was depressed with the stress of going home. Take them to the vet for diagnosis, and a simple 5-10 day treatment with Albon will clear it up. As a breeder, if I see soft stools, I put the puppies on a 5 day treatment of Albon. It coats the stomach and is safe. Giardia is also found in the environment and puppies can easily be infected. Flagyl will treat a case of giardia.

Parasites can be transmitted to humans from their pets. Humans acquire these parasites through ingestion of the eggs of the parasite which have passed through the pet's feces. Not washing your hands before eating or putting your hands in your mouth after playing with your infected pet are common ways of transmission.

Internal parasites can be seen in the feces, but not always. Some symptoms may be a pot-bellied appearance in puppies, poor growth, decrease in appetite, bloody stools, diarrhea, and/or a decrease in activity level. But because not all infections involve observable symptoms, it's important to visit your veterinarian regularly.