What are Ectoparasites?

A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. Protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites are 3 classes of parasites that can cause disease in pets and mammals including humans.

Ectoparasites (external parasites) are organisms that live on the skin of a host, from which they derive their sustenance. Ectoparasites include a wide range of parasitic arthropods, we distinguish the acarine (ticks and mites) and the insects (fleas, chewing and sucking lice, mosquitoes, flies and phlebotomes commonly known as sand flies). While the parasitism by mosquitos and sand flies lasts for seconds, ticks attach for days and mites remain for longer time in the derma of their hosts.

External parasites are important because they may cause cutaneous lesions, they can induce immunopathological responses (allergies), they can transmit pathogens, they may be zoonotic (communicable to humans) or transmit zoonotic infections (Lyme disease and leishmaniasis for example). and, they may interfere with the human-animal bond. Some important clinical implications of ectoparasites are:

1. Lesions caused by ectoparasites may lead to secondary bacterial, fungal or yeast (Malassezia) infections and create in doing so various kinds of dermatitis.
2. The immune response induced, especially by ectoparasite saliva, may lead to allergic reactions with flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) being the most important.
3. Transmitted pathogens may cause diseases (such as Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease), these so-called vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are, in many cases, of more clinical relevance than the ectoparasite infestation itself.
4. Some ectoparasites of pet animals, mainly fleas and ticks can also infect humans which can become a serious nuisance and a public health problem.
5. The direct health implications of ectoparasite infestation can be more than skin deep, as often heavy infestations of bloodsucking arthropods can cause anaemia.

At ABVC we offer solutions to control and prevent ectoparasite infestation and prevent serious consequences. Our vets will advise you on the most appropriate parasiticide considering your pet specificity (breed, age, weight, general health condition) and lifestyle (indoor/outdoor activity). For kittens/puppies younger than 8 weeks manual removal is advised. Besides giving you advise on what the implications are for your pet, our vets can also answer questions in relation to the effect/risks of the parasite on humans.

Read more on how we treat ectoparasites