What You Need To Know About Intestinal Parasites

Based on the risk factors indicated for each intestinal parasite listed below, rate your pet's exposure risk by checking YES or NO.  If you check YES to any risk factors, your pet should be placed on an intestinal parasite deworming program.

ROUNDWORMS (Toxocara)

Is My Pet At Risk?

 YES     NO

ROUNDWORMS (Toxocara) are an intestinal parasite that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, bloated belly, and weight loss. Roundworm eggs can develop into infective stage larvae in the soil within 2 weeks, depending on temperature and humidity. To illustrate the extent of environmental contamination that can occur as the result of one infected puppy, a single female roundworm can produce more than 100,000 eggs per day, resulting in millions of potentially infective roundworm eggs per day spread throughout the area the puppy is allowed to roam. Once the eggs become infective, they can remain infective in the environment for years. 

Risk Factors: All dogs and cats. It is common for puppies and kittens to inherit roundworms from their mothers. Roundworms in puppies and kittens can be easily treated with oral medications. Adult dogs and cats that come in contact with contaminated soil can become infected through the ingestion of Toxocara eggs by licking their paws or eating contaminated stool or grass.  Sources for contamination are any area where an infected animal defecates such as parks, wooded areas and trails, yards.  Humans can also become infected after accidentally ingesting infective Toxocara eggs from larvae in soil or other contaminated surfaces. Toxocara infections in humans can cause OLM, an eye disease that can cause blindness. Repeated infections can cause swelling of the body’s organs or central nervous system.

HOOKWORMS

Is My Pet At Risk?

 YES     NO

HOOKWORMS are an intestinal parasite that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, severe weight loss, and anemia.

Risk Factors: All dogs and cats that come in contact with contaminated soil.  Sources for contamination are any area where an infected animal defecates such as parks, wooded areas and trails, yards.  Humans can also contract hookworms. Persons likely to come in contact with larvae-contaminated soil include electricians, plumbers, and other workers who crawl beneath raised buildings, sunbathers who recline on larvae-contaminated sand, as well as children who play in contaminated areas. Hookworm eggs can develop into infective stage larvae in the soil in as little as 5 days and remain in the soil for years.

Is My Pet At Risk?

 YES     NO

WHIPWORMS are an intestinal parasite that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, mucousy, bloody stools and general illness.

Risk Factors: All dogs and cats that come in contact with contaminated soil.  Sources for contamination are any area where an infected animal defecates such as parks, wooded areas and trails, yards.  Whipworm eggs are very difficult to eliminate from the environment because they can survive extreme temperatures and freezing and thawing.  

Is My Pet At Risk?

 YES     NO

TAPEWORMS are an intestinal parasite that are transmitted by a pet eating fleas, rodents or rabbits. Tapeworm segments which are similar to eggs, are passed in the stool and look like pieces of rice. Very few clinical signs of Tapeworm infection can be seen.

Risk Factors: Dogs and cats that have fleas or those who hunt and eat rodents or rabbits.

Is My Pet At Risk?

 YES     NO

COCCIDIA are protozoan parasites that can cause severe, bloody diarrhea and constant straining, abdominal pain, dehydration, stunting and loss of body weight and hair condition, progressing to weakness and lethargy. High infective doses may prove fatal.

Risk Factors: All dogs and cats that come in contact with feces of infected animals, or ingest tissues of infected animals such as rabbits, or come in contact with contaminated water or soils.

Is My Pet At Risk?

 YES     NO

GIARDIA is a protozoan parasite that multiplies within the intestinal tract. Giardia can cause severe, bloody diarrhea and can cause dehydration, anorexia, lethargy, vomiting and weight loss.

Risk Factors: All dogs and cats that come into contact with contaminated water. Giardia can be found in almost any body of water. Infected animals are a potential source of infection for pets and humans. Researchers believe that animal-to-human transmission can result through the ingestion of as few as 10 cysts. Pets with subtle symptoms are common and remain carriers if left untreated.