PARASITES AND PARASITIC DISEASES OF DOGS 17 



Aside from their role as carriers, fleas are not only a cause of 

 discomfort, itching, and irritation to infested dogs and cats, but are 

 especially annoying in that they readily leave their dog hosts to attack 

 man. While a few flea bites cause but little annoyance to some 

 persons, they cause great discomfort to susceptible individuals, 

 and may produce lesions which are more or less serious and heal 

 slowly. Numerous and repeated flea bites cause intense itching and 

 lead to loss of sleep and of nervous energy, a thing which may be 

 a serious matter in summer, when hot weather makes it difficult 

 to sleep even under otherwise favorable conditions. 



Treatment. — To be effective any treatment must simultaneously 

 lead to the destruction of the fleas on the animal and of the eggs, 

 larvae, and pupae in bedding and elsewhere. The infested dog may 

 be dipped in a coal-tar creosote solution of suitable strength. If thip 

 is not feasible, pyrethrum powder or powdered naphthalene may be 

 used in the manner described in connection with dog lice. Derris 

 powder, a,s recommended for the destruction of dog and cat lice, is 

 very effective against fleas on dogs and cats. At the same time the 

 kennels and runs should be thoroughly cleaned up, all loose trash 

 burned, and the floors find woodwork scrubbed with a strong, hot 

 coal-tar creosote stock dip. F. C. Bishopp, of the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology, states that complete control is usually obtained by means of 

 one thorough spraying with a good grade of creosote oil containing 

 between 10 and 16 percent of tar acids. Where sticktight fleas are 

 present on the premises, the infested fowls should be treated by the 

 application of carbolated petrolatum to the clusters of fleas, and the 

 houses, roosts, and other equipment cleaned and disinfected. Where 

 dwellings are flea infested, liberal and repeated application of pyre- 

 thrum powder or naphthalene flakes on the floors, rugs, and carpets 

 will serve to control the trouble if the process is carried out thoroughly. 

 In some cases it may be necessary to fumigate with hydrocyanic- 

 acid gas, a proceeding which should be undertaken only by some com- 

 petent and responsible person. In many places dogs and cats are 

 primarily responsible for the presence of fleas in the house and they 

 should either be kept free from fleas or kept out of the house. 



INTERNAL PARASITES AND DISEASES DUE TO THEM 



A large number of different kinds of worms have been found in 

 dogs and cats in various parts of the world, but only a few of the more 

 important need be discussed here. Some are important because they 

 are seriously injurious to dogs or cats, and others because they may be 

 transferred in some stage of their development to man and to live- 

 stock. Worms are most prevalent in pups and kittens, and are more 

 injurious to them than to mature animals, many pups and kittens 

 dying from worm infestations. This high infant mortality, so to 

 speak, among dogs and cats as well as among human infants, indi- 

 cates that there is a lack of proper care and of sanitation responsible 

 for it. The remedy among dogs and cats, as among people, is proper 

 care and sanitation. The mother should be free from internal and 

 external parasites before being bred, should then be kept in an area 

 free from parasitic infestation, and the pup or kitten should be born in 

 clean surroundings and raised there until it can fend for itself and 

 until it has acquired some age immunity or resistance to parasitic 



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