Small Animal Ectoparasites

Question 1

What are the types of ectoparasites?

Answer 1

True bugs
Lice
Fleas
Flies
Mites
Ticks

Question 2

What type of parasitic relationship do most ectoparasites have with their hosts?

Answer 2

Periodic

Question 3

What are true bugs?

Answer 3

Hemiptera (kissing bugs)
Coleoptera (blister beetle)

Question 4

Which true bugs are the most common ectoparasites?

Answer 4

Kissing bugs
Bed bugs

Question 5

What class are lice?

Answer 5

Insecta (6 legs)

Question 6

What are the body parts of lice?

Answer 6

3 main body parts
1: rounded head with large mouth parts
2: thorax w/ 3 sets of legs
3: abdomen with reproductive organs

Question 7

What are the two types of lice, and what do they mean?

Answer 7

Mallophaga: chewing/biting
Anoplura: sucking

Question 8

What is a lice infestation called?

Answer 8

Pediculosis

Question 9

What is the life cycle of lice?

Answer 9

3 stages
1: egg - “nits” attached to hair shaft
2: nymph - really small version of adults
3: adult - largest stage & functional reproduction

Question 10

How are lice transmitted?

Answer 10

Direct contact with host or fomites

Question 11

What are the hosts of lice?

Answer 11

Species specific

Question 12

Which species of lice is mallophagan?

Answer 12

Trichodectes canis

Question 13

If an animal is diagnosed with dipylidium caninum what should you check next?

Answer 13

If they have lice or fleas

Question 14

What are the clinical signs of mallophaga lice?

Answer 14

Pruritis
Hair loss
Rough & dry skin

Question 15

Which species of lice is anopluran? What is it’s host?

Answer 15

Linognathus setosus
Canine

Question 16

What are clinical signs of an infestation of anoplura lice?

Answer 16

Pruritis
Anemia in severe infestations

Question 17

What order are flies in?

Answer 17

Diptera

Question 18

T/F true fly maggots feed on live tissue

Answer 18

FALSE - true flies do not feed on live tissue, but they may damage live tissue while feeding on necrotic tissue

Question 19

What is the general life cycle of flies

Answer 19

4 stages
1: egg
2: larva +/- multiple stages
3: pupa (cocoon)
4: adult

Question 20

Which flies do only females feed on blood?

Answer 20

Mosquitos
Gnats
Horse flies
Deer flies

Question 21

Which flies do males and females feed on blood?

Answer 21

Stable flies
Horn flies
Sheep keds

Question 22

What is a larval infestation called?

Answer 22

Myiasis

Question 23

What is myiasis?

Answer 23

Larva crawling in skin

Question 24

What fly is the intermediate host for Leishmania?

Answer 24

Sand flies

Question 25

Which fly is the intermediate host for Onchocerca cervicalis?

Answer 25

no-see-ums

Question 26

What is the intermediate host for dirofilaria immitus?

Answer 26

Mosquitos

Question 27

What species of flies are fluid feeding vs blood feeding?

Answer 27

Blow flies Common house fly

Question 28

Which type of fly is reportable?

Answer 28

screwflies

Question 29

The larva of fluid feeding flies are what type of parasite?

Answer 29

Facultative

Question 30

What is a larval invasions of fluid feeding flies called?

Answer 30

Facultative myiasis

Question 31

What fly causes the warbles?

Answer 31

Cuterebra sp. (Botfly)

Question 32

How are bot flies transmitted?

Answer 32

Non parasitic adults lay eggs near burrow entrances. When animal look in burrows the larva stick to their head/neck

Question 33

What is the clinical appearance of an animal infected with cuterebra sp?

Answer 33

Subq cyst that is swollen with small opening for the larva to breath

Question 34

What class are fleas?

Answer 34

insecta

Question 35

What is unique about fleas external appearance?

Answer 35

Laterally compressed - skinny from the top to easily move through hairs Large hind limbs for jumping

Question 36

What is an infestation of fleas called?

Answer 36

Siphonapterosis

Question 37

What are symptoms of flea infestation?

Answer 37

Pruritis Flea allergy dermatitis

Question 38

What is the flea an intermediate host of?

Answer 38

Dipylidium caninum

Question 39

What is the general life cycle of fleas?

Answer 39

Complete metamorphosis 4 stages 1: egg (host lays in environment) 2: larva (maggot like) 3: pupa (for long periods of times) 4: takes blood meals

Question 40

Which ectoparasites go through complete metamorphosis?

Answer 40

Flies & fleas

Question 41

How do you diagnose fleas?

Answer 41

Visualization of adult or flea dirt

Question 42

What is the most common species of fleas?

Answer 42

Ctenocephalides felis

Question 43

When discussing flea prevention, what 3 areas do you need to control?

Answer 43

Yard, house, and the animal