SECTION XX 



INTERNAL PARASITES AND PARASITISMS 



CONTRARY to the popular belief, intestinal 

 parasites, unless the infestation is particularly 

 heavy, do not cause any very serious constitutional 

 disturbances. However, large numbers of parasites, 

 especially in puppies, may give rise to alarming 

 symptoms and in some instances even cause death. 

 Intestinal parasites are detrimental to their host 

 by reason of the irritation they produce, their in- 

 terference with the digestive process, the deleterious 

 effect of their waste products, the abstraction of 

 blood, or by mechanical obstruction. We may, 

 therefore, look for a definite train of symptoms 

 when the infestation is heavy. 



The general symptoms of parasitism are a general 

 unthrifty condition of the patient — a rough, dry 

 coat, appetite variable but usually voracious, anemia, 

 gradual emaciation and alternate constipation and 

 diarrhea. Convulsions are common and in certain 

 special cases there is bleeding from the nose. Pru- 

 ritus ani is well marked in cases where the parasites 

 inhabit the rectum. The diagnosis, however, is 

 positive only when the parasites or their ova are 

 detected in the feces. Notwithstanding the com- 

 parative harmlessness of ,parasitism to the patient 

 itself, every means should be employed to rid him 

 of these pests and to destroy their ova and thus 

 prevent their reproduction, on account of the danger 

 from some of them to both man and other animals. 

 Of these Tseenia echinococcus and Taenia coenurus 

 are examples producing respectively hydatid disease 



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