All parasites (dogs) - Learn About Parasites - Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Ancylostoma caninum

Ancylostoma caninum is a pathogenic hookworm of domestic dogs and free-ranging canids, so called because its buccal capsule is bent dorsally in the form of a "hook."

Angiostrongylus vasorum occur in dogs, foxes, coyotes and lynx. So far in Canada, the parasite is only found in the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland. It's also found in South America, Europe and Africa.

Baylisascaris procyonis

Baylisascaris procyonis is a small-intestinal nematode of raccoons in North and Central America, including Canada

Capillaria plica

The nematode Capillaria plica occurs in the urinary bladder of dogs, free-ranging carnivores, and rarely cats, worldwide, likely including Canada.

Cheyletiella species

Dogs and cats each have their own species of the mite Cheyletiella, which appear to be host-specific — C. yasguri in dogs and C. blakei in cats.

Cryptosporidium species

Cryptosporidium spp. are gastrointestinal coccidians (although the taxonomy is controversial) of a wide range of vertebrates (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish). Surveys from several locations around the world based on fecal examination for Cryptosporidium oocysts have demonstrated a prevalence of up to 40 per cent in dogs and cats.

Ctenocephalides (felis) felis (cat flea) Ctenocephalides (felis) canis (dog flea)

Fleas of the genus Ctenocephalides occur on dogs and cats around the world.

Cuterebra species — rabbit bot

Adults of the dipteran (fly) genus Cuterebra are free-living. Larvae are found under the skin of various hosts, generally rodents but occasionally dogs and cats.

Cystoisospora species

Dogs and cats around the world, especially pups and kittens, are often infected with a range of species of Cystoisospora (formerly known as Isospora).

Demodex canis

Demodex mites are common in the hair follicles and sometimes sebaceous glands of the skin of dogs around the world.

Dermacentor andersoni -- horses

Dermacentor andersoni is a large reddish-brown to gray-brown tick. In Canada, it is found from central Saskatchewan and west through Alberta and into British Columbia.

Dermacentor variabilis: American dog tick

Dermacentor variabalis is a large reddish-brown to gray-brown tick. In Canada, D. variabilis is found from eastern Saskatchewan and east through to Nova Scotia, primarily in the southern portions of each province.

Dioctophyma renale

Dioctophyma renale occurs in dogs, foxes, mink, ferrets, otters, cats (on occasion), pigs, horses, cattle and people.

Diphyllobothrium species

Adult cestodes of the genus Diphyllobothrium live in the small intestine of dogs and other fish-eating mammals and birds in many parts of the world, especially the northern hemisphere.

Dipylidium caninum

Dipylidium caninum is a tapeworm of the small intestines of domestic dogs and cats and free-ranging canids and felids.

Dirofilaria immitis

The nematode Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) occurs in domestic dogs and less often in cats, and in free-ranging canids and other carnivores, in many regions of the world.

Dracunculus insignis

Diagnosed infections of Dracunculus insignis in dogs living in Canada seems to be very rare.

Echinococcus canadensis

The cestode genus Echinococcus contains at least seven established species, two of which (Echinococcus canadensis and E. multilocularis) occur in Canada.

Eucoleus (Capillaria) aerophila

Eucoleus aerophila is a tracheal worm that infects primarily foxes and occasionally other free-ranging carnivores, dogs, cats and people.

Eutrombicula species

Trombiculid mites are free-living but their larval stages can infest a range of mammals, birds and people, causing sometimes severe skin lesions characterised by intense pruritus.

Free-living amoebae

Free-living amoebae are protozoa that normally live in the environment and only occasionally infect human or animal hosts. Acanthamoeba spp. and Naegleria fowleri are the most commonly seen species, both causing central nervous system infection and disease.

Giardia species

Giardia species occur around the world in people, domestic animal and wildlife.

Ixodes species

Ixodes spp. ticks are a genus of hard ticks found worldwide. In North America, the primary species of veterinary and public health importance are I. scapularis (in southern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the eastern USA) and I. pacificus (in coastal regions of western North America).

Leishmania species

Species of the flagellate protozoan Leishmania infect people, domestic dogs and an array of free-ranging mammals in South and Central America, southern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and most recently dogs in North America.

Lice Dogs and Cats: chewing (Mallophaga), and sucking (Anoplura)

Lice occur on dogs and cats around the world. In Canada dogs are hosts to both sucking and chewing lice (Linognathus setosus and Trichodectes canis, respectively), and cats only to chewing lice ( Felicola subrostratus), which are most commonly seen on farm cats.

Mesocestoides species

Adults of the cestode genus Mesocestoides occur in dogs, cats, free-ranging carnivores, and very rarely people, in many parts of the world.

Metorchis conjunctus

Adults of the trematode Metorchis conjunctus live in the biliary system of domestic dogs and free-ranging fish-eating mammals in North America.

Mites: miscellaneous

A description of a few mites that are found occasionally on dogs and cats.

Myiasis

Myiasis is the infestation of living vertebrates with the larvae of flies, the species of which vary with location around the world.

Nanophyetus salmincola

Adults of the trematode Nanophyetus salmincola live in the small intestine of domestic dogs and free-ranging fish-eating mammals in northwestern North America and eastern Russia.

Neospora caninum

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite, closely related and in several respects similar to Toxoplasma gondii, that is a major cause of abortion in cattle around the world and an occasional cause of neurological disease in young calves, dogs and other mammalian hosts.