208 PARASITES IN THE INTESTINES 



Pathology. On autopsy dogs which have died from ankylo- 

 stomiasis show cachexia. In addition the mucous membrane 

 of the small intestines and cecum is very much thickened. 

 Small hemorrhagic areas are scattered over it, and often so 

 extensively as to be visible on the peritoneal surface of the 

 intestine. The villi are quintuple their normal size, are 

 highly injected and closely packed together. In the rela- 

 tively healthy parts are seen a multitude of small hemor- 

 rhagic points, and in their centers or vicinity are noted one 

 or more of the parasites, often coupled. More parasites are 

 found in dogs that have been ill only a short time than in 

 those in which the malady is chronic. In the latter only a 

 few parasites may be found in the ileum, a circumstance which 

 may raise a doubt as to the anemia being due to them. 

 Only a small amount of very dark or black fecal material 

 will be found in the intestines. 



Symptoms. The symptoms are those of a severe anemia. 

 At first there is only debility and wasting, although the 

 appetite remains good, though at times variable. The 

 animals affected appear dull and indifferent, the hair coat 

 is rough and staring, and the skin scaly or reddened with 

 erythematous patches, especially at the stifles and nose. 

 The latter is tumefied, cracked, rough and excoriated, with 

 a mucopurulent discharge from the nostrils. Attacks of 

 epistaxis occur at intervals of a few to several days with a 

 loss of two or three ounces of blood. Another important 

 symptom is edema of the limbs. It is at first intermittent, 

 but finally becomes quite permanent. In the latter stages 

 the diarrhea, at first intermittent, becomes continuous, and 

 the appetite, which was capric'ous, disappears. The animals, 

 feeble and emaciated, remain in a lying position, grow coma- 

 tose and die sometimes in convulsions. Death takes place in 

 from a few months to a year. 



Diagnosis Ankylostomiasis is easily mistaken for non- 

 parasitic anemia. The diagnosis really depends upon the 

 finding of the ova or the parasites. When several animals 

 in a kennel or pack are affected, an autopsy will remove all 

 doubt as to the nature of the malady. 



