Leishmania, how to prevent it

Although the outputs with our pets have been reduced in terms of time, this will change slowly.And, without realizing, the arrival of heat can bring other dangers such as leishmaniosis, or also called leishmaniosis.It is a dangerous parasitic disease that dogs can contraer due to flebotome mosquito’s bite.This insect “translates” the microscopic parasite, called Leishmania infantum, and transmits it from one dog to another when it picks, and can affect its skin, mucoses and vital internal organs.

If you live with a hairy companion at home you should be alert and take certain precautions against this pathology, which can become deadly in these animals if it is not treated in the early phase of contagion; it can be irreversible if it is detected late and the damage affects irreparable internal organs.Since 2006, the National Day for the Prevention of Canine Leishmaniosis is celebrated on June 1.It remains very little for the date, so don’t worry, we give you some key tips to avoid contagion or, if your dog fall sick, detect the condition in its first manifestations.

How and where leishmaniosis is contracted

The flebotome, the carrier of the infectious parasites, is a insect similar, at simple sight, to the common mosquito, whose presence is more abundant in the warm months, from May to October.It has a lot of presence in Latin American countries and throughout the Mediterranean territory, so it reaches Spain, where it affects especially regions such as Catalonia, Madrid, Balears, Andalusia, Extremadura and part of Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla and León.

This disease, which can also affect humans and other mammals, is not contagious by being in direct contact with an infected dog, but the person would have to be bite by the carrier mosquito to be infected.So, calmly, living with a dog sick of leishmaniosis will not be a problem for you nor for the health of those around you.

Most common symptoms in dogs

The variety of symptoms your dog could show if he was infected with leishmaniosis is countless, but among the most common indications are:

Injuries in the skin.
And renal problems.
And eye injury.
Articular injuries.
Exaggerated growth of the nails.

Not all infected dogs will develop the disease and not all who develop it will have the same injuries.But during the warmest months of the year you can be careful to detect a possible contagion, taking into account the most common symptoms such as wounds and wounds in the skin or other skin injury that can characteristicly affect the area around the eyes or the ear pavilions; digestive problems that lead to weight loss and lack of appetite; kidney problems and inability to effectively remove the antibodies generated – this can generate, for example, nasal bleeding – and inflammation of vital organs such as the liver or kidney.Try to maintain your pet’s immunity by giving it the best food for dogs it helps you to increase your defence naturally.

Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

Unfortunately, if your dog is affected by leishmaniosis, the disease will remain in his body for the rest of his life.But once your hair companion has responded positively to the treatment, you will be able to live a normal life, always taking special care in the risk of possible recurrences or the appearance of other diseases that can weaken you.Maintaining a healthy and natural diet for your dog, giving it will be a good weapon to take care of his health and immune system and you can do it by choosing the best food for dogs among the variety of dog food brands of Dibaq Petcare, which measure your pet’s nutrition.

Before the suspicion of the presence of leishmaniosis, the veterinarian will perform blood tests to know if he has had contact with the parasites.In the case of giving positive, this should send the blood sample to a laboratory to determine if the disease has affected any vital organ.Depending on the state of the animal, a sample of the bone marrow can also be requested.

Prevention and Care

Prevention will be the key tool to avoid any contact of your pet with this dangerous disease and even more if your dog is already infected, since it will have to continue to protect the animal to prevent it from spreading again.We give you some advice and care for your skin:

Protect your dog to avoid flebotome wrinkles by using collars, pipets or sprays with repellent substances from these insects.

Avoid outdoor night walks, when the activity of flebotom mosquitoes is greater, because they wake up especially in the afternoon, with the fall of the sun.

Use mosquitoes to protect your dog while resting, even if it is inside, as insects can enter through the windows and open doors.

Use vaccines against leishmaniosis.In the case of dogs, there is a preventive injection that protects your hair for a year, significantly reducing the possibility of suffering from the disease.

Make an annual veterinary review.The veterinarian is who can diagnose leishmaniosis in time.Therefore, it is advisable to repeat the dog’s medical review, especially after the summer months, to confirm that your dog is safe.In addition, this will advise you about other existing prevention strategies to see which is best suited to your case.

And, of course, don’t forget the importance of making a quick diagnosis before the least suspicion of the existence of this serious disease.The earlier it is detected, the better will be the response to your dog friend’s treatment.All for your health!