Parasites such as fleas, ticks and worms are everyday threats to your dog's health. Some are merely a nuisance, while others transmit serious — and sometimes fatal — diseases. Here is your complete guide to identifying and preventing them.

External Parasites

Fleas

Tiny insects that live in the coat, feed on blood and reproduce extremely quickly. A single flea produces 50 eggs per day: within 3 weeks a dog can be hosting thousands of fleas.

Symptoms: intense itching (especially at the base of the tail), tiny black specks in the coat (flea droppings), allergic dermatitis.

Prevention: monthly spot-on treatments (Frontline, Advantix, Stronghold) or oral tablets (Bravecto, Nexgard) every 1–3 months.

Ticks

Arachnids that attach to the skin and feed on blood for days at a time. They transmit babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease.

Peak season: March to November, especially in grassy, wooded and rural areas.

Removal: use a dedicated tick remover tool (never your bare fingers), twist anticlockwise, and never crush the tick.

Leishmaniasis

Transmitted by the sandfly (an insect similar to a mosquito), this disease is endemic in central and southern Italy, the islands and the Adriatic coast.

Symptoms: weight loss, hair loss around the eyes, overgrown nails, skin ulcers.

Prevention: Scalibor collar or Advantix spot-on from April to October, plus the CaniLeish vaccine.

Internal Parasites

Intestinal Worms

Roundworms (particularly in puppies), tapeworms and hookworms. They cause diarrhoea, weight loss, vomiting and a bloated abdomen in puppies.

Prevention: deworming every 3 months with veterinary products (Drontal, Milbemax).

Cardiopulmonary Heartworm

Transmitted by mosquitoes, this parasite causes heart failure within 6–12 months. It is very widespread in the Po Valley and other wetland areas.

Prevention: monthly tablet or annual injection (Prac-tic). An annual test is required before starting preventive treatment.

Annual Parasite Prevention Calendar

  • Year-round: monthly spot-on treatment against fleas and ticks
  • Every 3 months: oral deworming
  • April to October: anti-sandfly/anti-heartworm collar
  • Annually: leishmaniasis vaccine in endemic areas

When to Be Concerned

  • Diarrhoea containing blood or mucus
  • Sudden weight loss
  • Lethargy, pale gums
  • Persistent cough, exercise intolerance

For a complete health programme, read our guide to dog vaccinations.