Internal Parasites
Round worms are one of the most common intestinal parasites in the dog and cat. The parasite lives in the intestinal tract of your pet. The female roundworms lay their eggs that are transmitted through the feces of your dog or cat. The eggs can live in the environment for three to six days until your pet comes in contact with the eggs. Once the fecal matter is digested, the eggs will hatch into a larva and migrate through the respiratory system. In this stage the larva will become an immature worm which is coughed up, swallowed and travel through the digestive system where it will attach to the small intestine and mature. Keep in mind that the larva can lay dormant in your pets tissue and be passed on to puppies by their mother. This can be accomplished as the puppy passes through the uterus or during the nursing process. Roundworm is a zoonotic meaning that it can be passed from animals to humans. It is strongly recommended that you pet be de-wormed twice as a puppy or kitten and then yearly as a prophylactic.
Whipworm is common through out the state. Whipworms live in the large intestine at the junction where the small and large intestines meet. They get their name from their whip-like shape, where the head is thin and their tail is like a handle. Infestation in dogs and cats is accomplished by the ingestion of food or water that is contaminated with the eggs. The eggs are swallowed, hatched, and within three months the worm matures and attaches itself to the large intestine. The adult worm then lays eggs which are excreted through the feces and can lay dormant in the environment for up to one year. These eggs are resistant to freezing which makes them almost impossible to eradicate. It is strongly recommended that you pet be de-wormed twice as a puppy or kitten and then yearly as a prophylactic.
Hookworm is an internal parasite of the dog and cat that can cause anemia and severe diarrhea. They have teeth-like structures that allow them to attach to your pet's intestine and feed off the ample blood supply. Hookworm is more prevalent in warm tropical areas, but can be found throughout the United States. Once the adult worm matures, she will lay eggs that are passed through the feces. In approximately one to three weeks, the eggs will hatch releasing their larva into the environment. Your pet can become infected either through the ingestion of the larva, or by walking over the larva which has the ability to penetrate through the skin and migrate to the intestines. Although humans are not a natural host for the hookworm, larva can penetrate the human skin and cause inflammation and possible infection. It is strongly recommended that you pet be de-wormed twice as a puppy or kitten and then yearly as a prophylactic.
The tapeworm is a segmented flat worm with many suckers that allow it to attach to the small intestines. Each segment has a reproductive organ, and when the segment reaches the end of the worm it is considered mature and brakes off. These segments are passed in the feces and resemble a piece of rice. Unlike other worms that can re-infest through direct ingestion, the tape worm requires an intermediate host. The most common intermediate host is the flea, but your pet can also pick them up from rats and mice. In regards to the flea, the segment is eaten by the flea, which allows the eggs to hatch in the fleas digestive system. Once your pet ingests the flea, the immature worm is released and attaches to the small intestines. If your pet has tapeworm it is not only imperative to de-worm, but also start a flea prevention program as your pet can become re-infested within forty-eight hours by ingesting another flea.
Coccidia is a single-celled protozoan that lives in the intestinal tract. It is most common in puppies and kittens less than six months of age. Adult pets can carry coccidia, shed it in their feces, and show no signs of the disease. The most common way your puppy or kitten becomes infested with coccidia is when they come in contact with their mother's fecal matter and digests it. The primary symptom of coccidia is diarrhea which can sometimes be severe or have blood in it. Although different from de-worming, the treatment consists of an oral medication, Albon, given for ten days to eradicate the protozoan.
Another on in the single-celled protozoan family, giardia is a flagella-like structure that whips back and forth allowing them to move around and attach to your pet's intestines. The giardia the reproduces by splitting into two. They lay cysts that ingested by your pet and will mature once the cyst hatches out. Giardia is one of the hardest internal parasites to diagnose since they are a small microscopic protozoan. If you are concerned that your pet might have this internal parasite it would be recommended that their stool be sent off to our lab for testing.
