Trichuris Life Cycle
The Trichuris vulpis worm is more commonly known as a whipworm and is one of the common intestinal parasites found in dogs and rarely in cats. The whipworm gets its name from its whip-like shape. However, the worm can only be observed through a microscope. There are about 60 species of whipworm and it is the trichuris vulpis worm that infects dogs, foxes, cats and, on rare occasion, humans.
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Ingestion
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A pet becomes infected with whipworms by consuming food or water that is infected with the Trichuris vulpis worm's eggs. They may also get the worm's eggs on their fur or the pads of their feet and ingest them during grooming.
Eggs
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Within the egg, a larva is developing but won't hatch until it inside a host animal. Once swallowed, the whipworm eggs hatch within the pet's body about a month to three months after ingestion.
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Larvae
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The larvae go to the pet's cecum, a portion of intestine where the small and large intestine meets, and the large intestine. This is where the larvae will stay while they mature. The larvae burrow into the intestinal walls and feed on blood. While in the larval stage, the whipworm will go through four molts before reaching the adult stage of life.
Adult
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Once the whipworm reaches the adult stage of life, it continues to live in the large intestines. The adult worm attaches to the intestinal wall with its thread-like heads.
Reproduction
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The adult worm begins reproducing and laying eggs. A female whipworm can produce 10,000 eggs every day and can live for several years. These eggs pass into the pet's feces and from there into the soil. The eggs will remain in the soil about one month before they are mature and able to cause infection in another host.
Infection
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As the adults grow and reproduce within the intestines, inflammation of the host animal's intestinal wall can occur. Occasionally, the infestation of whipworms may cause hemorrhage within the intestine, leading to anemia. Other symptoms of infestation may include diarrhea and weight loss.
Treatment
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A veterinarian can determine if your dog is infected with whipworms by examining a stool sample. Several types of de-wormers can be used to treat a whipworm infection and end the life cycle of the Trichuris worm. These medications include Interceptor, Sentinel, Advantage Multi, Panacur, SafeGuard and Drontal.
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References
- Photo Credit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Trichurisspmale.jpg
