Swimmers itch in dogs3/11/2023 The dog may develop stomach problems such as diarrhea, vomiting and, in extreme cases, liver failure. “It is a more serious condition in dogs than in people because the parasites cannot only live within the dog’s body, but can reproduce and make their own little colony in a canine’s system. While that post says to contact a vet if rash and itchiness develop, the web page Wag has a more dire warning. Dogs should be dried after leaving the water, just like humans. They’re particularly prevalent in weedy and shallow areas. You might also want to check your dog for the itch if it's been in the water as well.Ī Vernon Veterinary Clinic internet posting cautions that the same parasite that gives the itch to humans can seek out dogs for hosts. Some suggested ways to ease the itch include calamine lotion, antihistamines, shallow lukewarm baths with three tablespoons of baking soda, colloidal oatmeal baths, cold compresses and most of all, avoid scratching. Repeat infections can cause stronger reactions. The rash may take 12 hours to appear and, while most irritation will go away in a few days, symptoms can last up to two weeks. As these red spots grow, the tingling feeling becomes a strong itch.” “Small, pin-sized red spots will appear, which grow into larger red rashes within several hours. “As you start to dry off and the larvae start to burrow into your skin, you may feel a tingling sensation,” the website says. That’s not a practical solution, so HealthLinkBC suggests things like diving into deeper water and drying off thoroughly with a towel once out of the water. The itch can, of course, be avoided by not going into the water in the first place. Some people are more sensitive than others. The parasite burrows under the skin but cannot survive in humans so the dead remains can cause a reaction, creating the rash and subsequent itch. Young children, according to HealthLinkBC, are more susceptible not just because their skin may be more sensitive, but they often spend more time in shallow water, splashing in and out without fully drying off. “However, if a skin infection occurs from too much scratching, you should see your healthcare provider.” “The rash and itch can be very irritating, especially for young children, but there should not be any serious danger,” according to HealthLinkBC. It’s the scratching of that itch that can cause infections that carries a greater risk of needing medical attention. It's those parasites that burrow into humans to cause swimmer's itch, which is largely harmless if not incredibly annoying. The infected snail then releases this different type of microscopic larvae into the water where it seeks out shallow areas in order to find its host, which can include humans. They infect the snails, multiply and undergo further development. Once in the water, the eggs hatch and, as microscopic larvae, search out tiny aquatic snails. They lay eggs inside their hosts that are passed into the water through feces but these are not the parasites that cause the itch. Officially called schistosomes, the adult parasite often lives in birds like ducks and geese and some mammals. Swimmers itch, on rare occasions, has even been reported on coastal beaches. In fact, the parasite that actually causes that itch comes from the tiny snails that live in many lakes and ponds throughout B.C. Most anyone who spends time in Interior lakes during the summer has ended up itching all over at one time or another and may blame it on an influx of geese or ducks.
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