{"id":313,"date":"2019-07-10T14:49:22","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T19:49:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tenwestvet.com\/blog\/?p=313"},"modified":"2019-07-10T14:49:23","modified_gmt":"2019-07-10T19:49:23","slug":"kiss-of-death-chagas-disease-in-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tenwestvet.com\/blog\/kiss-of-death-chagas-disease-in-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Kiss of Death: Chagas Disease in Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Texans are no strangers to bugs. Big, small, and in between, they are a part of life here in the south. Many of them are harmless, but others can be the bearers of serious trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kissing, or assassin, bugs are one of those critters that we want pet owners to worry about. The bite of this insect can carry an infection that is one to avoid. Chagas Disease in dogs is something that Ten West Bird & Animal Hospital<\/a> wants Texan pet owners should know about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Chagas Disease in Dogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chagas Disease in dogs<\/a> is a big problem caused by a little bug. The bite from the kissing bug may be painful, but in and of itself is no big deal. Infection happens when one of these little critters is itself infected with a tiny protozoan parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chagas Disease is widespread in both South and Central America, but occasionally seen in the southern part of the United States, with Texas reigning champion for the most diagnosed cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many wild animals, including raccoons, opossums, and armadillos are chronically infected with Trypanosoma<\/em>, serving as reservoirs for the disease. Chagas is carried through the kissing bug vector from animal to animal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The infectious organism is carried in the feces of the insect and can be introduced into a new host when the feces enter a bite wound or contact the mucous membranes such as during ingestion. The disease can also be contracted by eating an infected host animal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the organism enters a pet, it spends about five days multiplying before moving into the blood and localizing in the cells of major organs, most often the heart and brain about two weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of infection can vary, with the acute infection often progressing to chronic disease. Symptoms of infection with Chagas Disease in dogs include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n