20 DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES No. 9 



Parasites of Fur-Bearing Animals 



The economic importance which fur farming has assumed during the past 

 decade makes it highly desirable that a survey of parasites affecting fur-bearing 

 animals of Ontario should be made. This publication is an attempt to further 

 the existing knowledge of the subject. During the past four years, numerous 

 post-mortem examinations have been done on both trapped and ranch-raised 

 animals. 



The following descriptions and drawings are made from parasites which 

 have been found chiefly in mink and muskrats. The authors are of the opinion 

 that due to the inaccessibility and scantiness of the literature pertaining to 

 fur-bearing animals, much of which is out of print, they are justified in duplicating 

 any work along this line which has been done previously by other workers in 

 the field. Experience has shown that both the mink and muskrat are heavily 

 parasitized, and very seldom is one of them found free from worms, in the wild 

 state. Some of these worms, particularly Dioctophyme renale, Filarioides 

 bronchialis and certain others, must take a heavy toll among mink in the wild 

 state; but their control or eradication would seem to be practical only under 

 ranching conditions. Fur farmers are mainly interested in the preventive 

 point of view, but the first step in this direction must be a thorough knowledge 

 of the extent and types of worms affecting their animals. It is hoped that 

 this report will achieve something in this respect. 



To Dr. Maurice C. Hall and Dr. Emmett W. Price, Zoological Division, 

 Bureau of Animal Industry, Washington, D.C., we are deeply indebted for the 

 identification of these worms and without their aid it would have been impossible 

 to attempt this publication. We are also indebted to them for the reading of 

 the manuscript and for many helpful suggestions and assistance given to us 

 during the past four years. 



Fig. 1. — Filarioides bronchialis: fb., Worms in situ; h., Heart; !., Lungs; pa., Pulmonary 

 artery. (Original, Law and Kennedy.) 



