3 must-reads for expanding parasitology knowledge

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Veterinary parasitology is an indispensable field within veterinary medicine. Parasites such as fleas, ticks, heartworms, and mosquitoes pose significant health challenges to animal patients. Knowledge of these parasites and their interaction with the host, as well as treatment protocols, diagnostic techniques, and preventive measures is essential for ensuring the well-being of animal companions.

Below are 3 must-read articles to expand veterinary professionals’ understanding of parasites:

• Debunking common myths about parasites: Continuous parasite prevention remains crucial for pet owners to prioritize, yet some clients lack sufficient knowledge about the common parasites that threaten pets. Read about Thrive Pet Healthcare’s myth debunks about fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other potential threats.
• Guidelines for canine heartworm disease are updated: The American Heartworm Society issued revised guidelines for managing parasitic infections in dogs, covering prevention, diagnosis, patient evaluation, and heartworm treatment practices. The new guidelines also include a spectrum-of-care section with information on treatment efficacy and complication rates, intended for situations when practitioners cannot follow the ideal treatment protocol for heartworm-positive patients, and need access to information on treatment efficacy and complication rates.
• Ticks: Necessity or nuisance?: Ava Landry, PharmD candidate, discussed some of the diseases ticks can transmit, such as lyme disease and chronic wasting disease. She also explained how Borrelia and Anaplasma pathogens can alter the behavior of tick vectors to improve their own survival and reproductive success.