Content
- What is canine leishmaniasis?
- Canine leishmaniasis symptoms
- Canine leishmaniasis treatment
- Prevent canine leishmaniasis
THE leishmaniasis it is a serious disease that can affect dogs of all ages and sizes. Although puppies that suffer from it often survive thanks to the veterinarian who helps them to minimize the symptoms, the reality is that it is a disease that is better to prevent, since cure is impossible.
Currently and thanks to advanced medicine we can say that many dogs with leishmaniasis survive without problems and can have an almost normal life.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we want you to know everything about canine leishmaniasis, and know how to identify your symptoms to act as soon as possible.
What is canine leishmaniasis?
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a parasite called Leishmania. This parasite travels on a mosquito that transmits the parasite to the dog through a bite. The mosquito responsible for transmitting this disease is the sand fly, also known as the straw mosquito, and it is found in the environment during the hottest months.
It is a mosquito that naturally inhabits the Mediterranean region, so if the environment is not treated, it is very difficult to get rid of it to safeguard our dog. There is no breed that has a greater risk of suffering from this disease, since any dog is exposed to the bite of this mosquito. In addition, leishmaniasis is a zoonosis, which means that it can affect humans as well as dogs.
Canine leishmaniasis symptoms
First, it is important to mention that leishmaniasis is a disease with an incubation period that varies between 3 and 18 months, so it is possible that the dog despite being infected does not show any symptoms. Since the disease is already in a symptomatic phase the dog manifests the following symptoms:
- Hair loss, especially on the feet and around the head.
- Considerable weight loss, despite not losing your appetite.
- Skin wounds.
In more advanced stages of the disease we can find a set of symptoms that reveal a state of renal insufficiency.
Canine leishmaniasis treatment
If you suspect that your dog is suffering from leishmaniasis, it is very important that you take him to the veterinarian for the diagnosis through a blood test and other complementary tests. Keep in mind that the sooner this disease is detected the better the treatment will work, as it is more effective in the early stages of the disease.
Leishmaniasis is a chronic disease but with treatment you can preserve the animal's health. The treatment consists of a medicine that needs to be given with an injection. This treatment is applied for several weeks and, depending on the animal's response, it may be necessary to repeat this cycle again.
Prevent canine leishmaniasis
Prevention is the best way to prevent your pet from being infected by the leishmaniasis parasite. And, for that, you must ensure that your puppy receives the necessary vaccines, including the one that protects the animal from leishmaniasis, which, as a rule, is administered from the age of four months. Talk to your veterinarian to find out when and what vaccinations your puppy needs to have, in the meantime you can find out about the vaccination schedule in our article.
In addition to the vaccine, it is important to prevent your puppy from walking through unsanitary places or in woods.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.