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The American Animal Hospital Association has released free 2026 guidelines on emerging parasites in dogs and cats. The resource covers 12 parasites of greatest concern, nine additional parasites of potential concern, and recommendations for veterinary teams on testing, treatment, drug stewardship and communication with clients.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released free guidelines on emerging parasites in dogs and cats, giving veterinary teams recommendations for recognition, diagnostic testing, treatment and client education. The 2026 resource addresses 12 parasites identified as being of greatest concern in companion animals and nine more considered potential concerns.
The 2026 AAHA One Health Guidelines: Emerging Concerns in Canine and Feline Parasitology frame parasite management as a coordinated effort involving animal health, human health and the environment. The guidelines encourage veterinary teams to monitor parasites using a One Health approach and to choose diagnostic tests suited to the suspected parasite and situation.
The recommendations also address antiparasitic drug stewardship, including the need to consider resistance, and advise veterinary professionals to recognize diseases that may be reportable. They cover zoonotic risks and circumstances in which a veterinary team should contact public-health authorities or other appropriate officials.
AAHA identifies four drivers of parasite emergence: increased antiparasitic drug use and resistance; changes in the environment and host populations; greater movement and interaction among animals; and improved detection through surveillance and diagnostic technologies. The guidelines describe these as factors veterinary teams should take into account when monitoring and managing parasite risks.
How the Guidance Shapes Clinic Decisions
The guidelines matter because identifying a parasite is only one part of responding to a changing risk picture. Veterinary teams must also decide which tests are appropriate, how to treat an infection, and whether a potential zoonotic or reportable disease calls for contact with public-health officials. The resource gives clinics a shared framework for addressing those decisions while recognizing that risks can affect pets and people.
The guidance also addresses conversations that can affect whether prevention and treatment plans are followed. Co-chair Jason Stull said the document focuses on discussing disease risks to both people and pets and on addressing client concerns and barriers to antiparasitic drug use, including medication hesitancy. That makes communication part of the recommendations, rather than treating parasite control as a medication decision alone.
For pet owners, the release signals that veterinarians may discuss parasite risks and prevention in light of an animal’s circumstances and current information. The guidelines do not, in the supplied report, establish a single prevention plan for every dog or cat; they call for veterinary teams to select approaches with the relevant risks and evidence in mind.
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The Drivers Behind Parasite Emergence
AAHA’s guidelines connect parasite emergence to several changes affecting animals and how infections are detected. The listed drivers include animal movement and interaction, environmental and host changes, and shifts in antiparasitic drug use and resistance. Improved surveillance and diagnostic technology can also reveal parasites that might previously have gone undetected.
The document’s One Health framing links these factors to practical veterinary work: monitoring, selecting diagnostic tests, treating infections, educating clients and identifying when a case may have public-health implications. The report describes the guidance as a free resource and directs readers to the AAHA website for more information.
Details Not Listed in the Report
The source report names the number of parasites covered but does not identify them individually or provide the full recommendations for each one. It also does not give specific testing protocols, treatment regimens, drug choices or thresholds for contacting public-health authorities. Those details should be checked in the full AAHA guidelines, rather than inferred from the summary.
The report does not say how quickly the guidelines will be updated, whether additional parasites may be added, or how the recommendations may vary by region. It also does not provide data on parasite prevalence or measure the guidelines’ effect on veterinary practice or pet health.
Veterinary Teams Can Consult the Full Guide
The next step for clinics and pet owners seeking specific advice is to consult the full 2026 guidelines through AAHA and discuss relevant risks with a veterinarian. The source report does not announce a follow-up release, implementation deadline or scheduled review. Veterinary teams can use the resource’s recommendations on monitoring, diagnostics, stewardship and client education as they evaluate parasite concerns in their own settings.
Key Questions
What did AAHA release?
AAHA released the 2026 One Health Guidelines: Emerging Concerns in Canine and Feline Parasitology, a free resource for veterinary teams on emerging parasites in dogs and cats.
How many parasites do the guidelines cover?
The resource addresses 12 parasites of greatest concern in companion animals and nine additional parasites of potential concern. The source report does not name them individually.
What recommendations are included?
The guidelines cover parasite recognition, diagnostic testing, treatment and client education. They also recommend a One Health approach, antiparasitic drug stewardship, attention to potentially reportable diseases and contact with public-health officials when appropriate.
Why do the guidelines discuss people as well as pets?
Some parasite risks can involve both animals and people. The guidelines address zoonotic risks and advise veterinary professionals to consider when public-health or other officials should be contacted.
Where can readers find the full recommendations?
The report directs readers to the AAHA website for more information. Specific testing and treatment details are not included in the source report, so readers should consult the full guidance and speak with a veterinarian.
Source: veterinarypracticenews.com
