Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Parasite Profile: Nanophyetus salmincola
I've learned since starting this blog that any topics I write about are ones that I'm more likely to remember later on a test. Since parasitology is proving to be largely memorization, I thought doing some blogging about it might help. It doesn't hurt that I find this stuff absolutely fascinating, so hopefully I'll be able to continue with these posts.
So, Nanophyetus salmincola, also known as salmon posioning of dogs (SPD).
This one has a pretty awesome life cycle, and is interesting in that it really only seems to affect domestic canines, and only ones with little or no previous exposure. Salmon poisoning is caused by a rickettsia called Neorickettsia helminthoeca that is carried by the Nanophyetus salmincola fluke. The fluke itself produces no real disease, but the rickettsia causes classic symptoms which include vomitting, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes, depression, anorexia, high fever, and death within two weeks if left untreated. Understandably, this is cause for a little concern.
Trials on wild coyotes showed that being infected with Nanophyetus salmincola produced virtually no symptoms, and certainly didn't negatively impact the animals, and these seems to be the case in all the other wild animals who host this parasite. These hosts can be racoons, bears, foxes, coyotes, dogs, etc. The life cycle of this parasite starts when a definitive host passes ova in feces near to fresh water. The ova develop in the water for 3 months and then hatch into miracidium that find and burrow into an Oxytrema snail which only lives in the rapids of fresh water streams. While in this intermediate host the fluke develops into a sporocyst and then to a redia and asexually forms cercaria which swim off and penetrate any salmonid fish that happens to be in that fresh water. Once they've found a salmonid they change to a metacercaria and become encysted in the fish. One of the definitive hosts then catches and eats said fish, and tada! Salmon Poisoning!
The neat part about this parasite is that it can remain viable in the salmonid for years, even making the transition from fresh to salt water and back again. The fluke is also quite difficult to diagnose definitivly based on fecal tests because the ova don't float (therefore making a fecal flotation useless and a direct fecal necessary), the large amounts of stool produced by a sick host can mask the presence of the ova, and the flukes don't produce huge numbers of ova in a host who is very sick (which defines most dogs with salmon poisoning by the time they make it to the vet clinic). So, diagnoses is usually by clinical signs and response to therapy (ie, put it on tetracycline...does it improve, or does it die?)
I'm also fascinated by the ease with which domestic dogs can be innoculated against this rickettsia. I'm sure a lot of people who have or have had dogs in the past are thinking "but my dog got into raw fish all the time and never got sick....". Our parasitology instructor recommends feeding dogs at high risk of infection small amounts of raw salmon, and then taking their temperature twice daily. When the temperature spikes, start them on tetracycline. This gives their immune system a chance to build up some antibodies and the next time they eat raw fish, they'll do just fine. In dogs where exposure is minimal, he recommends doing this once a year, but most dogs with any access to raw fish will quite happily re-innoculate themselves any chance they get.
This disease is also limited to a very small area. The Oxytrema snail that acts as an intermediate host only exists in the Pacific Northwest, ranging from Southern B.C. to Northern California. I was a bit surprised since I'd never heard this even being mentioned back home (and yet I know there isn't a lack of raw fish for dogs to get into...it's an island for pete's sake). This doesn't mean that dogs in other locations can't become infected though, it just means that veterinarians in other places don't tend to know how to recognize it. Dogs have been infected by stealing the fish that was thawing on the counter for dinner, or by being fed a treat of smoked salmon (smoking and drying doesn't always kill it - only cooking). Toy poodles have been infected by drinking water from the pan of a flower pot that the owner used organic raw fish meal on, and many many dogs have been infected by licking up the water left on the lawn after a fisher washes off his or her catch.
So, there you have it. Nanophyetus salmincola; don't feed your dogs raw fish.
photo credit here.
(and yes, I'm still going to the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for my birthday. I'm not a domestic dog, and good sushi is totally worth potential parasites - so there!)
So, Nanophyetus salmincola, also known as salmon posioning of dogs (SPD).
This one has a pretty awesome life cycle, and is interesting in that it really only seems to affect domestic canines, and only ones with little or no previous exposure. Salmon poisoning is caused by a rickettsia called Neorickettsia helminthoeca that is carried by the Nanophyetus salmincola fluke. The fluke itself produces no real disease, but the rickettsia causes classic symptoms which include vomitting, diarrhea, enlarged lymph nodes, depression, anorexia, high fever, and death within two weeks if left untreated. Understandably, this is cause for a little concern.
Trials on wild coyotes showed that being infected with Nanophyetus salmincola produced virtually no symptoms, and certainly didn't negatively impact the animals, and these seems to be the case in all the other wild animals who host this parasite. These hosts can be racoons, bears, foxes, coyotes, dogs, etc. The life cycle of this parasite starts when a definitive host passes ova in feces near to fresh water. The ova develop in the water for 3 months and then hatch into miracidium that find and burrow into an Oxytrema snail which only lives in the rapids of fresh water streams. While in this intermediate host the fluke develops into a sporocyst and then to a redia and asexually forms cercaria which swim off and penetrate any salmonid fish that happens to be in that fresh water. Once they've found a salmonid they change to a metacercaria and become encysted in the fish. One of the definitive hosts then catches and eats said fish, and tada! Salmon Poisoning!
The neat part about this parasite is that it can remain viable in the salmonid for years, even making the transition from fresh to salt water and back again. The fluke is also quite difficult to diagnose definitivly based on fecal tests because the ova don't float (therefore making a fecal flotation useless and a direct fecal necessary), the large amounts of stool produced by a sick host can mask the presence of the ova, and the flukes don't produce huge numbers of ova in a host who is very sick (which defines most dogs with salmon poisoning by the time they make it to the vet clinic). So, diagnoses is usually by clinical signs and response to therapy (ie, put it on tetracycline...does it improve, or does it die?)
I'm also fascinated by the ease with which domestic dogs can be innoculated against this rickettsia. I'm sure a lot of people who have or have had dogs in the past are thinking "but my dog got into raw fish all the time and never got sick....". Our parasitology instructor recommends feeding dogs at high risk of infection small amounts of raw salmon, and then taking their temperature twice daily. When the temperature spikes, start them on tetracycline. This gives their immune system a chance to build up some antibodies and the next time they eat raw fish, they'll do just fine. In dogs where exposure is minimal, he recommends doing this once a year, but most dogs with any access to raw fish will quite happily re-innoculate themselves any chance they get.
This disease is also limited to a very small area. The Oxytrema snail that acts as an intermediate host only exists in the Pacific Northwest, ranging from Southern B.C. to Northern California. I was a bit surprised since I'd never heard this even being mentioned back home (and yet I know there isn't a lack of raw fish for dogs to get into...it's an island for pete's sake). This doesn't mean that dogs in other locations can't become infected though, it just means that veterinarians in other places don't tend to know how to recognize it. Dogs have been infected by stealing the fish that was thawing on the counter for dinner, or by being fed a treat of smoked salmon (smoking and drying doesn't always kill it - only cooking). Toy poodles have been infected by drinking water from the pan of a flower pot that the owner used organic raw fish meal on, and many many dogs have been infected by licking up the water left on the lawn after a fisher washes off his or her catch.
So, there you have it. Nanophyetus salmincola; don't feed your dogs raw fish.
photo credit here.
(and yes, I'm still going to the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for my birthday. I'm not a domestic dog, and good sushi is totally worth potential parasites - so there!)
Yeah, I know...
I suck. Posting has been at an all new low, despite having about 3-4 ideas of things I want to post every day. I've been spending a lot more time studying and sleeping, and somehow the blog always ends up on the back burner, even though I really enjoy posting.
Anyway, in other news, I am now an adult. Nevermind my 19th birthday, nevermind my 21st birthday. Nevermind getting my first job, moving out on my own, moving to a new city, voting, drinking, or any of those other assorted milestones used to define coming of age. This is why I'm finally an adult:
Yeah, that's right. My very own washer and dryer. Bought by me, in my own house, and not shared by anyone else. It's amazing how happy that makes me.
Anyway, in other news, I am now an adult. Nevermind my 19th birthday, nevermind my 21st birthday. Nevermind getting my first job, moving out on my own, moving to a new city, voting, drinking, or any of those other assorted milestones used to define coming of age. This is why I'm finally an adult:
Yeah, that's right. My very own washer and dryer. Bought by me, in my own house, and not shared by anyone else. It's amazing how happy that makes me.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
Just a quick post for today because all I want to do is fall into bed. It's been a rough couple of days.
Lab today was the canine physical exam, and I was working with River.
Lab x ~2yrs, M (intact)
QAR
EENT - minor purulent discharge OU, injected sclera, otherwise NAF. Ears NAF, slight discolouration of epithelial tissue of nose, Moderate to severe periodontal disease.
BCS - 3-4/9
HR & RR WNL (this should be written in numbers but I didn't bring the data home with me!)
Small abrasion on ventrocaudal surface of the tail.
Translated, River is approximately 2 years old and is an unneutered male. He was Quiet, Alert, and Responsive, and his eyes had some goopy discharge and were a little bloodshot. His ears were normal, his nose has lightened slightly since last exam (lupus? lack of sunlight? snownose?), and his teeth are bad enough that Vanessa was probably not enjoying the smell in that photo. He's a little on the thin side, his heart and respiratory rates are normal, and he has a cut on the underside of the tip of his tail, known as "happy tail" because it's caused by a dog repeatedly beating his tail on a rough surface, like a concrete floor.
That photo is just cause Skippy is freakishly adorable and I had't posted any pictures of him yet.
Lab today was the canine physical exam, and I was working with River.
Lab x ~2yrs, M (intact)QAR
EENT - minor purulent discharge OU, injected sclera, otherwise NAF. Ears NAF, slight discolouration of epithelial tissue of nose, Moderate to severe periodontal disease.
BCS - 3-4/9
HR & RR WNL (this should be written in numbers but I didn't bring the data home with me!)
Small abrasion on ventrocaudal surface of the tail.
Translated, River is approximately 2 years old and is an unneutered male. He was Quiet, Alert, and Responsive, and his eyes had some goopy discharge and were a little bloodshot. His ears were normal, his nose has lightened slightly since last exam (lupus? lack of sunlight? snownose?), and his teeth are bad enough that Vanessa was probably not enjoying the smell in that photo. He's a little on the thin side, his heart and respiratory rates are normal, and he has a cut on the underside of the tip of his tail, known as "happy tail" because it's caused by a dog repeatedly beating his tail on a rough surface, like a concrete floor.
That photo is just cause Skippy is freakishly adorable and I had't posted any pictures of him yet.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Poop
I did my first fecal flotation today! If it had been up to my own dubious expertise I would have said that Pita (Alona's cat) had tapeworms and coccidia, but Dr. H assured me that the plant fibres and bubbles in my slide were not at all threatening, nor even remotely parasitic. Apparently Alona's cat is parasite free, though we did learn that he's been eating her houseplants, as evidenced by the large amount of plant material in the feces of an indoor-only cat. I still think those bubbles are plotting something deadly.
Actually, all the samples brought in by students and all the samples from the school dogs came out negative (a shock given the stool quality of some of them). Makes me feel much better about Hero licking my face when I know that his medication is actually getting rid of the giardia. We did get to see both giardia and coccidia on a sample that Dr. H brought in from his clinic though, and it came with a very cool tidbit of information. Everyone in veterinary medicine shudders at the word "parvo", but the parvovirus that is so debilitating and deadly to dogs has recently had some new studies done on it that show it may be far more of an opportunistic disease that is less harmful than the parasites in conjunction with it. To that end, the fecal sample he brought in was from a parvo positive lab puppy and it was FULL of parasites. I mean, even I couldn't miss them. Quantitative statements on parasite load are noted in the records with - or + symbols, and the number of +'s indicates severity of infection. One + means a few were seen, 2 means many, 3 means significant numbers and 4 means "WOW! Everybody come look at THIS!". This sample was a ++++ coccidia and a ++++ giardia. He also brought in a sample from a bearded dragon that had whipworm larvae visible to the naked eye after it was spun. It also contained hookworm ova which were very cool to look at.
Yesterday was yoga and then nursing and restraint. Yoga wasn't half as bad as I was expecting and while it certainly isn't a class I would take if I didn't need the extra credit, it may be tolerable. She held off on some of the more ridiculous portions of her own "relationship" with yoga and we got through a decent number of poses, though no complete sun salutations to my disappointment. Actually, my biggest complaint about the class was her forgetfulness or ignorance of the note I made under the "injuries or other concerns" portion of the form she gave out on the first day of class that stated "my hamstrings are approximately 2 inches long. If a pose stretches them, I will do my best, but don't expect much." Twice she came over to me and attempted to push my legs into a more demanding version of the pose (which I don't like anyway, let me work at my own pace!) and they just wouldn't go. I think I'll talk with her before next class to make sure she understands this. I know she'd read the forms because she started out the class by taking attendance and then asking people about what they'd written on the form. In detail, and in front of the rest of the class. There were a lot of uncomfortable responses until she read out "Dave" and then asked how many months along he was before realising what she was saying. "Dave" assured her his "pregnancy" was meant to be a joke but also pointed out that if it wasn't, he might have wanted it to be confidential. She got the hint and stopped reading out everyone's personal injuries.
Nursing and restraint was another fun-packed hour of Henson's blend of jokes, mass volume information and anecdotes. It's a little like stand-up comedy for tech students and I really get into and enjoy her lectures, as well as learning a lot. I also have this real urge to not appear stupid in front of her so when I have to answer a question I get some momentary panic. Like yesterday, during a discussion on CRT (capillary refill time) and the significance of bruised mucous membranes. She asked what those might mean and I, expecting everyone else to call out an answer at the same time, immediately said "clotting disorder!" while from behind me I hear pure silence. Oh crap.
So, she turns and says "What's that?"
"Uh....clotting disorder..hemorrhage...not clotting....um..."
"Right, possible cause....?"
"Uh...rat poison?"
"Yes!"
Woohoo, not an idiot! Thank you CVVH!
Anyway, I had intended to get pictures of Drake being bathed, but it ended up being a 3 person job, not the two we'd scheduled to do it, so taking my hands off the dog in order to grab the camera wasn't possible. We did manage to keep him in the tub for about 80% of the bath, but I think I got more water on me than he did, and Cat looked like she'd just gone swimming in her clothes. Still, we got him all clean and fluffy and he forgave us as soon as he had his feet on the floor again. He is such a lab.
Actually, all the samples brought in by students and all the samples from the school dogs came out negative (a shock given the stool quality of some of them). Makes me feel much better about Hero licking my face when I know that his medication is actually getting rid of the giardia. We did get to see both giardia and coccidia on a sample that Dr. H brought in from his clinic though, and it came with a very cool tidbit of information. Everyone in veterinary medicine shudders at the word "parvo", but the parvovirus that is so debilitating and deadly to dogs has recently had some new studies done on it that show it may be far more of an opportunistic disease that is less harmful than the parasites in conjunction with it. To that end, the fecal sample he brought in was from a parvo positive lab puppy and it was FULL of parasites. I mean, even I couldn't miss them. Quantitative statements on parasite load are noted in the records with - or + symbols, and the number of +'s indicates severity of infection. One + means a few were seen, 2 means many, 3 means significant numbers and 4 means "WOW! Everybody come look at THIS!". This sample was a ++++ coccidia and a ++++ giardia. He also brought in a sample from a bearded dragon that had whipworm larvae visible to the naked eye after it was spun. It also contained hookworm ova which were very cool to look at.
Yesterday was yoga and then nursing and restraint. Yoga wasn't half as bad as I was expecting and while it certainly isn't a class I would take if I didn't need the extra credit, it may be tolerable. She held off on some of the more ridiculous portions of her own "relationship" with yoga and we got through a decent number of poses, though no complete sun salutations to my disappointment. Actually, my biggest complaint about the class was her forgetfulness or ignorance of the note I made under the "injuries or other concerns" portion of the form she gave out on the first day of class that stated "my hamstrings are approximately 2 inches long. If a pose stretches them, I will do my best, but don't expect much." Twice she came over to me and attempted to push my legs into a more demanding version of the pose (which I don't like anyway, let me work at my own pace!) and they just wouldn't go. I think I'll talk with her before next class to make sure she understands this. I know she'd read the forms because she started out the class by taking attendance and then asking people about what they'd written on the form. In detail, and in front of the rest of the class. There were a lot of uncomfortable responses until she read out "Dave" and then asked how many months along he was before realising what she was saying. "Dave" assured her his "pregnancy" was meant to be a joke but also pointed out that if it wasn't, he might have wanted it to be confidential. She got the hint and stopped reading out everyone's personal injuries.
Nursing and restraint was another fun-packed hour of Henson's blend of jokes, mass volume information and anecdotes. It's a little like stand-up comedy for tech students and I really get into and enjoy her lectures, as well as learning a lot. I also have this real urge to not appear stupid in front of her so when I have to answer a question I get some momentary panic. Like yesterday, during a discussion on CRT (capillary refill time) and the significance of bruised mucous membranes. She asked what those might mean and I, expecting everyone else to call out an answer at the same time, immediately said "clotting disorder!" while from behind me I hear pure silence. Oh crap.
So, she turns and says "What's that?"
"Uh....clotting disorder..hemorrhage...not clotting....um..."
"Right, possible cause....?"
"Uh...rat poison?"
"Yes!"
Woohoo, not an idiot! Thank you CVVH!
Anyway, I had intended to get pictures of Drake being bathed, but it ended up being a 3 person job, not the two we'd scheduled to do it, so taking my hands off the dog in order to grab the camera wasn't possible. We did manage to keep him in the tub for about 80% of the bath, but I think I got more water on me than he did, and Cat looked like she'd just gone swimming in her clothes. Still, we got him all clean and fluffy and he forgave us as soon as he had his feet on the floor again. He is such a lab.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
School is back with a brand new invention...
(Stop, collaborate and listen?)
Uh, yeah.
Anyway, school has started again, and with a vengeance. It worries me a little that after only 3 days I'm feeling just as stressed as I was halfway through last term and I've already decided that A&P is likely to be my easiest class. I mean, really? A&P?
Actually, that isn't entirely true. I do have two 1 credit classes that will be easy, but I hardly count those. Pharmacy math is only 1 hour a week and seems to consist only of conversions and calculations that would be entirely unnecessary if the US would just convert to the freaking metric system already! *ahem*.
The other 1 credit class is yoga, and it's a joke. We didn't even do yoga in the first class (a bit of a shock to the 8 of us from the tech program who are used to being thrown in off the deep end on the first day of class) and instead spent 45 minutes going over a 2 page syllabus and then learned how to breath for 15 minutes. Yes, that's right. This class is going to be paiiiiinful. I'll be sure to report back on how my inner self is progressing in learning how to inhale the life force surrounding me. No, I'm not exaggerating. She used more flowery language than that, but the reality was that I was still lying face down on a stained rubber mat that smelled like sunscreen and feet while trying to "find my exhale". Don't get me wrong, I know how important breathing is in yoga, and in life in general. But I'd like to see you try to focus on calm breathing under those conditions while the instructor tells us that "when you're born, you cry, and that's your first breath. Then, when you die...that's your last breath". I just have to make sure not to sit next to Alona because we already made each other laugh once during the syllabus reading when we saw the assignment to make a collage showing our inner growth and connection to yoga. I don't want to have to answer the "what's so funny?" question again.
As for the other classes, they're going to be hard. Really hard. I printed off the first half of my parasitology notes (all 150 pages worth) and this class is going to kick our butts. We need to know a lot of parasites, and we need to know their common names, genus and species, viable hosts including at what stage they inhabit which host, life cycles, treatments and visual identification. Oh dear lord.
Nursing and restraint is sounding slightly easier, but I know that's just my inner wishful child saying "Oh, Henson won't be such a hard ass this term, she likes us!" Ha! Of course she likes us, that's why she's going to whip us into shape so we'll be good techs. If that means pop quizzes, excruciating practical exams and auctioneer style lecturing, then so be it. We started off this week with a lecture on grooming and then had a quick demo in lab of how to use clippers. We were supposed to practice knots but the rope had apparently gone AWOL so we all need to pick up rope to practice with. Last year's students walked around with rope around their shoulders so they could practice whenever they had a free moment. I think wrapping mine around my neck might be more appropriate.
Anyway, I've been putting the camera to good use and will continue to do so. All the school dogs tested positive for giardia over break (oh goody!) so they've been prescribed daily baths for 5 days. Guess who the lucky bathers are? Oh yes. And I got assigned Drake!
Pictures will most certainly follow.
ps. Can you guess what this is?
I'll give you a hint. Somewhere, there is a very blind sheep........
Uh, yeah.
Anyway, school has started again, and with a vengeance. It worries me a little that after only 3 days I'm feeling just as stressed as I was halfway through last term and I've already decided that A&P is likely to be my easiest class. I mean, really? A&P?
Actually, that isn't entirely true. I do have two 1 credit classes that will be easy, but I hardly count those. Pharmacy math is only 1 hour a week and seems to consist only of conversions and calculations that would be entirely unnecessary if the US would just convert to the freaking metric system already! *ahem*.
The other 1 credit class is yoga, and it's a joke. We didn't even do yoga in the first class (a bit of a shock to the 8 of us from the tech program who are used to being thrown in off the deep end on the first day of class) and instead spent 45 minutes going over a 2 page syllabus and then learned how to breath for 15 minutes. Yes, that's right. This class is going to be paiiiiinful. I'll be sure to report back on how my inner self is progressing in learning how to inhale the life force surrounding me. No, I'm not exaggerating. She used more flowery language than that, but the reality was that I was still lying face down on a stained rubber mat that smelled like sunscreen and feet while trying to "find my exhale". Don't get me wrong, I know how important breathing is in yoga, and in life in general. But I'd like to see you try to focus on calm breathing under those conditions while the instructor tells us that "when you're born, you cry, and that's your first breath. Then, when you die...that's your last breath". I just have to make sure not to sit next to Alona because we already made each other laugh once during the syllabus reading when we saw the assignment to make a collage showing our inner growth and connection to yoga. I don't want to have to answer the "what's so funny?" question again.
As for the other classes, they're going to be hard. Really hard. I printed off the first half of my parasitology notes (all 150 pages worth) and this class is going to kick our butts. We need to know a lot of parasites, and we need to know their common names, genus and species, viable hosts including at what stage they inhabit which host, life cycles, treatments and visual identification. Oh dear lord.
Nursing and restraint is sounding slightly easier, but I know that's just my inner wishful child saying "Oh, Henson won't be such a hard ass this term, she likes us!" Ha! Of course she likes us, that's why she's going to whip us into shape so we'll be good techs. If that means pop quizzes, excruciating practical exams and auctioneer style lecturing, then so be it. We started off this week with a lecture on grooming and then had a quick demo in lab of how to use clippers. We were supposed to practice knots but the rope had apparently gone AWOL so we all need to pick up rope to practice with. Last year's students walked around with rope around their shoulders so they could practice whenever they had a free moment. I think wrapping mine around my neck might be more appropriate.
Anyway, I've been putting the camera to good use and will continue to do so. All the school dogs tested positive for giardia over break (oh goody!) so they've been prescribed daily baths for 5 days. Guess who the lucky bathers are? Oh yes. And I got assigned Drake!
Pictures will most certainly follow.
ps. Can you guess what this is?
I'll give you a hint. Somewhere, there is a very blind sheep........
Friday, January 2, 2009
It's Baaaaack
Just when I was starting to worry about flooding from the torrential rains we were getting, mother nature pulls this one out and throws us all for a loop. I thought we were done with the snow? I mean, yeah...this stuff is wimpy compared to what we got before Christmas, all slushy and only a measly 1/4 inch, but still. I'd been planning to go out tomorrow and now half the city will probably throw up their hands in panic and shut down.
In other news, I got a new camera for Christmas. Posts may be slightly more image rich in the foreseeable future.
Actually, really all that means is more photos of the cats.
I mean, who could resist? Merlin is still a real pain to photograph, but I'm getting the hang of Minnow. Something about the darkness of Merlin's fur, his tendency to try to climb into my lap as I'm taking the photo (making focusing a tad difficult) and the way he stares right into the camera to produce the most snazzy red-eye effect just means more of a challenge for me. Ah well. I'll be sure to subject you all to the learning process!
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