VPA 211: General Veterinary Parasitology and Helminthology (3+1)

PATHOGENESIS AND CLINICAL SIGNS

Pathogenesis of T.canis

• Heavy infection occurs in young pups due to poor hygienic condition of kennels. Heavy prenatal infection leads to death of whole litters of puppies.
• The migrating larvae causes pneumonia in pups and heavy infection causes vomition and diarrhoea. So the pups are frequently covered with stale vomit and may suffer from inhalation pneumonia. Death occurs about 2 to 3 weeks of birth. Adult worm causes mucoid enteritis. Sometimes the adult worms enter into aberrant site like bile duct causes serious pathogenic effect.

Clinical signs

• Unthriftiness, dullness, harsh coat and pot belly appearance or tucked up abdomen may occur. Sometimes the entire worms are vomited or passed in faeces. Emaciation and anaemia are common.