INTESTINAL PARASITES

WHERE DO WORMS COME FROM?

Just a walk down the street or a run through the yard can expose your pet to worms even though they can’t be seen. Later, when your pet is grooming and licking itself, the eggs and larvae can be easily ingested. They can even be transmitted through your own shoes and clothing. There are many places in the environment where your pet can find worms and bring them home. One adult female roundworm can lay up to 200,000 eggs in its lifetime! How many of them are in your home?

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

Worms may or may not be seen in your pet’s stool, and may even be seen around the anus area on your pet’s coat.

·         Roundworms and hookworms look like strands of spaghetti. They can range from 2-10cm in length (roughly 1-3 inches, but some are as long as 7 inches!).

·         Tapeworm segments resemble flattened rice grains, or sesame seeds. You will rarely see a tapeworm come out whole.

HOW DO I KNOW MY PET HAS WORMS?

            Initially, you will hardly be able to notice a difference – your pet acts as lively as normal, appetite is normal and the coat is shiny and smooth. Over time, worm infestations can cause suffering and discomfort for your pet and can lead to a rough coat, itchy skin, anemia and nervous system disorders. Worms can even cause vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, which can lead to rapid weight-loss and deterioration of body condition. At the very least, worms can weaken you pet’s immune system, making it more susceptible to infection or even predispose them to allergies. At the very worst, migrating larvae can cause breathing problems and permanent lung damage.

WHO IS MOST AT RISK?

            Puppies and kittens are especially at risk for worm infestations. In fact, if they are not born infected, they may become infected immediately after birth via their mother’s milk. Early deworming gets young dogs and cats off to a good start because it will help their chances of growing into healthy adults with better resistance to disease. Puppies and kittens are much less able to compensate for the loss of blood and nutrients as a result of worm infestation.

            Your family is also at risk. Children in particular are the most at risk. Adults usually wash their hands routinely, especially after touching a pet but children are not as careful. They cuddle their pet, kiss it on the nose, let the pet lick their face. They crawl on all fours and play in infected sandboxes. Touching their mouth with their fingers is all it takes to infect themselves.

The Importance of Fecal Examinations

At Mission Veterinary Hospital we recommend annual fecal exams at the time of your pet’s annual physical wellness exam for all adult pets. For puppies and kittens we recommend that a fecal exam be done when they are 8 weeks old and again at 16 weeks old. This is in conjunction with our Parasite Prevention recommendations. Fecal exams tell us many things including the effectiveness of your deworming program. We can catch products if resistance is developing and therefore not working or if your pet is simply spitting out his pills when you are not looking.  We also look for other internal parasites during a fecal exam.  Parasites such as Giardia are not routinely dewormed for and are ZOONOTIC, meaning they can be passed to other family members.  Lastly we often find other “presents” on a fecal exam such as pieces of plastic, grass or garbage which may indicate other health problems that should be addressed.