PETS' CORNER: New section with Vet's advice
One of the most feared pathologies for the pet owners is Leishmaniosis, and with reason, as between 10 and 15% of dogs in Alicante province are affected by it.
It's caused by a microorganism named Leishmania infantum. It affects vertebrates through the bite of the female of a very specific species of mosquito - a sand fly named Phlebotomus, of nocturnal habits. This sand fly transmits the disease to a healthy dog, when it feeds off a sick animal ingesting the parasites along with its food. These then develop inside the sand fly who will then inoculate them when it bites another animal, thus closing the contagion cycle. The sand flies responsible for this transmission are very small in size. Their active cycle lasts from dusk to dawn, and only when temperatures are warm, so they usually appear here from spring to autumn, in rural areas or gardens and town parks.
The disease starts when the sand fly inoculates the parasite into a healthy dog. This parasite may even remain latent for years, but when it finally spreads throughout the animal's body it has certain preferences, such as the skin causing cutaneous Leishmaniosis, or certain organs such as the liver and kidneys producing visceral Leishmaniosis.
When the skin is the chosen destination, we can observe hair loss, ulcers, excessive nail growth and nose discoloration. In the case of affecting one or more viscera the animal will suffer some symptoms that will depend on the affected organs. In general we can also see weight loss, muscle atrophy and nose bleeds.
If we are worried that our pet might be affected then a visit to the vet is necessary. There is a simple test that will allow us, in the majority of cases, to know very quickly if our animal has the parasite. Catching the problem early on is often critical to obtain good results. Therefore, in endemic areas such as ours, it is recommended that we take our dog every year and have this rapid diagnostic test done, which will allow us to detect the disease before it causes serious problems.
If it is confirmed that our animal is positive we must not give up, because there are treatments that manage to maintain our pet in good general condition. However, up to now and despite all efforts and pharmacological combinations, there is no definitive cure.
That is why it is so important to put all our efforts into prevention. At the moment we have products in the form of pipettes and collars that act as a repellent to avoid the sand fly from biting. There are also vaccines and a drug whose purpose is to strengthen the animal's immune system so that it can fight off the parasite if he comes in contact with it. The best way is to combine both prevention methods, because none of them give a 100% protection rate.
Finally, it’s important to know that the Leishmaniosis can also infect humans, it is especially dangerous in people who are immunosuppressed, making prevention in animals even more important.