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Intestinal Parasites
Both dogs and cats alike are commonly infected with intestinal parasites, particularly puppies and kittens. Parasites can be broken down into two categories, worms and protozoa. Common intestinal worms include (listed by common names) roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms, and hookworms. Two protozoan parasites that commonly affect dogs and cats are coccidia and giardia. Both protozoan and worm parasites have the potential to cause diarrhea, vomiting, anemia, ill-thrift, and even death if left untreated. Puppies and kittens are especially sensitive to parasite infection.
Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms are transmitted on a fecal/oral cycle. Infected animals shed infective eggs in their feces that are ingested by routine sniffing behavior, direct ingestion of feces, or the sharing of a litter box. Tapeworms are most commonly transmitted by the ingestion of an infected flea
The Web-DVM TV & Blog: Animal news, information, and commentary with host, veterinarian, Dr. Roger Welton.
If tapeworms are present, a different wormer will be used. Not all worms respond to the same treatment and no single wormer works against all kinds of parasites. And some non-prescription wormers are quite ineffective in removing worms from the dog or cat. Your veterinarian will have available for you the best kinds of wormers for the particular type of parasite your pet has. Therefore, stool samples should be taken to the veterinarian for microscopic examination for the worm eggs if worms are suspected. Many veterinarians include the stool check as part of the annual health examination. For more specific information on each of these common intestinal parasites of dogs and cats, CLICK HERE:
Prevention of intestinal parasites of dogs and cats is also very important because they are potential health hazards for humans, too. If hookworm larvae penetrate the skin they can cause "cutaneous larval migrans", where potentially serious and scarring inflammation results. Ascarid (roundworm) eggs if ingested can cause a disease called "visceral larval migrans" where tiny worm larvae migrate through the human host's intestinal wall and into the body tissues. They can then grow to larger size almost anywhere in the body. Ocular disease is a common sequel to "visceral larval migrans". Thie form of the disease can cause blindness - children are at most serious risk especially if play behavior is in an environment where dog, cat, or raccoon feces may be present... such as in a sandbox. A single adult Toxicara canis female can shed up to 100,000 eggs a day which pass into the dog or cat's environment with the stool. It is important that you take the worming advice of your veterinarian seriously and adhere to strict sanitation principles whenever pets and children are in close contact. Note... roundworms are not spread to people simply by close contact with dogs or cats (such as petting).The individual must ingest the
infective stage of the roundworm eggs; since the eggs are primarily associated with feces, humans would somehow need to consume the egg contaminated feces for contagion to occur.
All of the aforementioned parasites are quite treatable with a variety of safe pharmaceutical products. With regard to tapeworms, however, in addition to medication, good flea control is a necessary component of the treatment. Yearly stool analysis as part of the yearly visit is an important component of making sure your pet is free of parasites.
By: Roger L. Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM
President Maybeck Animal Hospital
Author Canine and Feline 101
Top Canine & Feline Topics
Common Intestinal Parasites of Dogs and Cats:
Coccidia
Coccidia are microscopic intestinal parasites of dogs and cats. They are extremely common, but they very rarely cause symptoms in adult animals. In puppies and kittens, they are a frequent cause of diarrhea.
Untreated, severe cases of coccidia in young animals can lead to profuse diarrhea, dehydration, and serious illness. However, most cases of coccidia do not have these consequences.
Treatment of coccidia can be frustrating. Some pets require a prolonged period of treatment to eliminate the parasites. However, once treatment is implemented, the serious complications of coccidia are unlikely to develop.
The scientific name of the type of coccidia discussed in this article is Isospora. Other types of coccidia exist. The other types of coccidia have unique clinical features. This article is intended to discuss only Isospora.
Signs
◦Diarrhea is the most common symptom of coccidia infestation. The degree of diarrhea varies. Some pets may have slightly loose bowel movements. Others may have severe, malodorous diarrhea. In some cases the diarrhea will be bloody.
◦Some pets with coccidia infestations show no symptoms.
Risk Factors and Prevention
◦Age is the primary risk factor. Coccidia infestations occur mostly in puppies and kittens. Healthy adult animals generally will not be affected.
◦Coccidia is contracted by exposure to the organism in the environment. Hygiene plays a role in the development of infestation. However, the organisms are extremely common. Infestations can develop even in very clean environments.
◦Individual pets have unique susceptibilities to coccidia.
◦Stress or decreased immune system function may contribute to a pet's susceptibility. Kittens infected with FIV or feline leukemia may be at increased risk.
◦Recently adopted puppies and kittens are most likely to suffer from coccidia infestations.
Complications
Severe diarrhea from coccidia infestations can lead to dehydration, failure to grow, or death. These complications are unlikely to develop in animals that receive treatment for coccidia.
Coccidia can exacerbate diarrhea caused by roundworms or intestinal disease.
Pets with diarrhea due to coccidia are more likely to defecate in inappropriate locations.
Diagnosis
Coccidia infestation is diagnosed through microscopic observation of the organisms in specially prepared samples of feces. This method is not 100% accurate.
In many cases, a presumptive diagnosis of coccidia is made based on age and symptoms. These pets may be treated for coccidia and monitored for resolution of diarrhea.
Treatment
Sulfadimethoxine (Albon®) is most commonly used to treat coccidia. The medicine is given orally for 3 - 21 days. In many cases pets require more than one treatment cycle to eliminate the parasite.
Ponazuril is a medication that recently has been shown to be highly effective in treating coccidia. Many experts now agree that Ponazuril is more effective than, and superior to sulfadimethoxine.
Follow-up
Diarrhea should begin to resolve within a few days of starting treatment.
After treatment, follow-up fecal tests should be run to ensure that the parasite is no longer present in large numbers.
Miscellaneous
Coccidia can spread from one pet to another. However, healthy adult pets are very unlikely to contract the parasite. Because of this, it is uncommon for newly adopted puppies or kittens to spread the disease to established adult animals in the house.
Giardia
Giardia is the genus of a protozoan parasite that is infectious to both humans and pets all over the world. Giardia consists of flagellates, which mean they move by means of several whip-like structures called flagella. They live as a form called a trophozoite, or “troph” for short, in the intestine where it causes diarrhea. In fresh fecal samples, trophozoites can sometimes be captured. They swim around in a jerky fashion characteristic of flagellates and appear as a funny face (the two nuclei form the eyes and median bodies form the mouth).
After a short period of time outside the host’s intestine, the trophozoites round up and form cysts that enable them to survive environmental conditions without a host to protect them. The cyst can be dried out to decontaminate the environment, but if it is cold and wet the cyst can live for many months with two incompletely formed trophozoites inside, ready to infect a new host. Contaminated water is the classical source of a Giardia infection.
After having been swallowed, the cyst shell is digested away, freeing the two trophozoites who go and attach to the intestinal lining. The troph has a structure called a ventral disc, which is sort of like a suction cup, and this is used to stay attached to the intestine. If the troph wants to move to another spot, it lifts itself up and swims to a new spot via its flagella (trophs tend to live in different intestinal areas in different host species, depending on the host’s diet). If the host has diarrhea, trophs are shed in the diarrhea, but Giardia may also form cysts within the host in preparation to be shed. Either form can be found in fresh stool.
After infection, it takes 5 to 12 days in dogs or 5 to 16 days in cats for Giardia to be found in the host’s stool. Diarrhea can precede the shedding of the Giardia. Infection is more common in kennel situations where animals are housed in groups.
How Does Giardia Cause Diarrhea?
No one is completely sure but infection seems to cause problems with normal intestinal absorption of vitamins and other nutrients. Diarrhea is generally not bloody. Immune suppressive medications such as corticosteroids can re-activate an old Giardia infection.
Diagnosis
In the past, diagnosis was difficult. The stool sample being examined needed to be fresh, plus Giardia rarely show up on the usual fecal flotation testing methods used to detect other parasites. Traditionally, a fecal sample is mixed in a salt or sugar solution such that any parasite eggs present will float to the top within 10 to15 minutes. Some tricks that have been used to facilitate finding Giardia include:
Being sure to examine a direct smear of the fecal sample (in hope of finding swimming trophs).
Floating the sample in zinc sulfate, a solution that has been found superior in getting Giardia cysts to float.
Staining the sample with some sort of iodine under the microscope to make the Giardia show up easier.
What has made Giardia testing infinitely easier is the development of a commercial ELISA test kit (similar in format to home pregnancy test kits). A fecal sample is tested immunologically for Giardia proteins. This method has dramatically improved the ability to detect Giardia infections and the test can be completed in just a few minutes while the owner waits.
Giardia shed organisms intermittently and may be difficult to detect. Sometimes pets must be retested in order to find an infection.
Treatment
A broad spectrum dewormer called fenbendazole (Panacur®) seems to be the most reliable treatment at this time. Metronidazole (Flagyl®) in relatively high doses has been a classical treatment for Giardia but studies show it to only be effective in 67% of cases. The high doses required to treat Giardia also have been known to result in temporary neurologic side effects or upset stomach. For some resistant cases, both medications are used concurrently; further, a study by Scorza et. al in 2004 found that Drontal® (a combination of praziquantel, febantel, and pyrantel pamoate) is effective in many cases. The ELISA test for Giardia should go negative within 2 weeks of treatment indicating success.
Because cysts can stick to the fur of the infected patient and be a source for re-infection, the positive animal should receive a bath at least once in the course of treatment.
Not all patients with Giardia actually have diarrhea but because Giardia is the most common intestinal parasite affecting humans in North America, treatment is generally recommended for the pet testing positive even if no symptoms are being shown. The idea is to reduce human exposure.
Vaccine?
A Giardia vaccine made by Fort Dodge Animal Health is on the market but it is not intended to prevent infection in the vaccinated animal. Instead the vaccine is licensed as an adjunct to treatment and is used to reduce the shedding of cysts by the vaccinated patient. This would be helpful in a kennel situation that is trying to reduce environmental contamination during an outbreak or where an animal keeps getting reinfected, but it is not helpful to the average dog whose owner wants to simply prevent infection.
The 2006 American Animal Hospital Association Guidelines list this vaccine as “not recommended.”
Environmental Decontamination
The most readily available effective disinfectant is probably bleach diluted 1:32 in water, which in one study required less than one minute of contact to kill Giardia cysts. Organic matter such as dirt or stool is protective to the cyst, so on a concrete surface basic cleaning should be effected prior to disinfection. Animals should be thoroughly bathed before being reintroduced into a “clean” area. A properly chlorinated swimming pool should not be able to become contaminated. As for areas with lawn or plants, decontamination will not be possible without killing the plants and allowing the area to dry out in direct sunlight.
Human Transmission
Most people become infected with Giardia by drinking contaminated water, which typically is tap water from a contaminated lake or stream. If an infected animal is in the home, it is important for the animal to be bathed at the completion of treatment and retested to minimize the potential for reinfection of the pet and of the humans in the house. Good hygiene, such as washing one's hands after handling the infected pet or its waste and prompt disposal of feces, is especially important in this situation.
Hookworms
The hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense) is one of the classical internal parasites of puppies, the others being roundworms, tapeworms, and coccidia. (There are species of hookworms that infect cats but hookworm infection in cats is not nearly as common as hookworm infection in dogs.) Hookworm infection has several special features that are of interest to us as the caretakers of dogs:
Hookworms suck blood.
Hookworms can be transmitted to unborn pups.
Hookworms can infect humans.
Before elaborating on these important aspects of hookworm infection, it is important to understand the life cycle of the hookworm, encompassing how infection happens, how the parasite lives, etc.
Life Cycle of the Hookworm
The adult hookworm lives in the small intestine of its host. It hangs on to the intestinal wall using its six sharp teeth and unlike other worms that just absorb the digested food through their skin as it passes by; the hookworm drinks its host's blood. The adult worm lives and mates within the host and ultimately, the female worm produces eggs. Hookworm eggs are released into the intestinal contents and passed into the world mixed in with the host's stool.
The egg hatches in the environment and develops from a first stage larva (the hatchling) to a second stage larva and finally a third stage larva, which is ready to infect a new host.
The larva can infect its new host in several ways. One way is to penetrate the host's skin directly through the feet or belly or whatever part of the skin is touching the ground. Another way for the larva to gain entry to the new host is to be present in soil that is licked and swallowed by the host as it cleans itself.
Once the larvae are inside the host, they make their way to the intestine where some worms simply stay and mature into adulthood. Other individuals are bolder, tunnel out of the intestine, and migrate to the lung tissue. In the lung, the larvae develop into 4th stage larvae and when they are ready they break out of the lung, climb up the trachea, get coughed into the throat and swallowed. Once back in the intestine, these well-traveled worms will complete their maturation to adulthood.
Not all the worms that begin this treacherous migration complete it. As they emerge from one tissue to move on to the next, some fall into a state of arrest where they go dormant and encyst. These larvae remain inactive but periodically some will emerge and complete their migration.
The adult worms live by sucking blood from the intestine. The host passes the eggs into the environment where a new host picks them up. The developing larvae may migrate widely through the new host's body before settling down to complete their maturation.
Now let us return to the three points we want to emphasize.
Hookworms Suck Blood
Hookworm infection can be looked at as a natural check in the canine population as it is frequently lethal to young puppies. A young puppy is growing and that includes making enough new blood to serve not only its needs but also the needs of its growth. Growing requires a tremendous red blood cell production from the puppy's bone marrow, yet in the hookworm infected puppy this process is being sabotaged by numerous tiny vampires within. The puppy may be effectively bled to death.
Infected puppies are commonly pale, weak, and have long-standing deficiencies. They may or may not have diarrhea.
Treatment involves deworming with one of several products: Mebendazole (Telmintic®), Fenbendazole (Panacur (R)), Pyrantel pamoate (Nemex ®, Drontal ®, or Strongid T ®). Deworming should be repeated in approximately 30 days. These products are not absorbed into the host's body from the GI tract and can only kill the worms living within the GI tract. The point of the second deworming is to kill worms in the process of migration at the time of the first deworming, allowing them an additional month to complete their migration. We currently do not have a deworming strategy effective against the encysted larvae in other areas of the host's body.
Simply killing the worms will not be sufficient to save the life of a severely affected puppy. Like any other blood loss, a transfusion may be needed to keep the puppy alive until it can replace its own lost red blood cells. An iron supplement is frequently needed as well.
Hookworms Are Transmitted To Unborn Pups
Infection of a very young puppy can occur in two ways not addressed in the above description of transmission and will be described now. Typically an infected mother dog will have encysted larvae all around her body. Throughout the adult dog's life, some larvae will awaken, break out of their cysts, and complete their migration to the GI tract.
The hormones of pregnancy unfortunately serve as little wake-up calls to encysted hookworm larvae, only this time the little worms migrate to the unborn puppies and to the mammary gland.
Some members of the litter will be born infected. Others will become infected by drinking the contaminated milk of their own mother. If this is not enough to infect the entire litter, others will become infected from the soil of their own nest, which will quickly become contaminated, with the stool of the infected litter.
It is clear why puppies are at a special risk over adult dogs when it comes to hookworms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends automatically deworming puppies for hookworms beginning at age 2 weeks in areas where hookworms are common.
Can We Prevent Transmission from the Mother?
The answer is yes but daily deworming is required through the second half of pregnancy and into the nursing period. A regular single deworming will not be effective in protecting the litter. A special protocol using Fenbendazole (Panacur ®) has been found to be effective in preventing both roundworm and hookworm infection in unborn puppies. Ask your veterinarian about this method if you are contemplating breeding a female dog.
Hookworms Can Infect Human Beings
Contaminated soil is an important hookworm source when it comes to a human disease called Cutaneous Larva Migrans. Running barefoot through the park or beach may seem pleasant but if the soil has been contaminated with canine fecal matter, the eager infective larvae may be waiting to penetrate your skin. Hookworm infection in the skin is intensely itchy but usually treatable. The local restrictions on bringing dogs to local beaches and the strict clean-up laws reflect concern for hookworm (and roundworm) infection in people.
Humans can also become infected by eating improperly washed vegetables, which may harbor contaminated soil. Humans have been found with actual hookworm intestinal infection. This would be a challenging diagnosis as it is not usually expected but the good news is that it is treated fairly easily when it is discovered.
Roundworms Dogs (scroll down for roundworms in cats)
There are two species of roundworms affecting dogs and puppies: Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina. Both are treated with the same medication protocol so when eggs are seen on a fecal flotation exam it may not be necessary to determine which species is present. T. leonina can infect both dogs and cats, so identifying this roundworm might be helpful in indicating which pets in the household are at risk for further contagion.
How Infection Occurs
In dogs, there are four ways by which infection with Toxocara canis occurs:
Consuming infective worm eggs from soil in the environment (generally through normal grooming).
Nursing from an infected mother dog.
Consuming a prey animal (usually rodent) that is carrying developing worms.
During embryonic development when an infected mother dog is pregnant (most puppies are infected this way).
Note: cats cannot be infected with Toxocara canis.
Life as a Roundworm
Toxocara canis has one of the most amazing life cycles in the animal kingdom. It is crucial to understand this life cycle if effective treatment is to be pursued.
Step One: Toxocara eggs are passed in the host's feces. If a fecal sample is tested, the eggs can be detected. The embryonic worm develops in the outdoor environment inside its microscopic egg for one month before it becomes able to infect a new host. If environmental conditions are favorable, it takes about a month for the egg to become infective but Toxocara eggs are famous for weathering harsh environmental conditions. Eggs can remain infective for months to years.
Note: Fresh feces are not infectious. Soil contaminated with feces is infectious.
Step Two: The egg containing what is called a second stage larva is picked up from the dirt by a dog or by some other animal, usually in the course of normal grooming. The egg hatches in the new host's intestinal tract and the young worm burrows its way out of the intestinal tract to encyst in the host's other body tissues. If the new host is a dog, the life cycle proceeds. If the new host is a member of another species, the larvae wait encysted until the new host is eaten by a dog.
Step Three: These second stage larvae can remain encysted happily for years. If the host is a dog, the larvae mostly encyst in the host's liver. When the time comes to move on, the larvae excyst and migrate to the host's lungs where they develop into third stage larvae. They burrow into the small airways and travel upward towards the host's throat. A heavy infection can produce a serious pneumonia. When they get to the upper airways, their presence generates coughing. The worms are coughed up into the host's throat where they are swallowed, thus entering the intestinal tract for the second time in their development.
If the host is pregnant, the larvae do not migrate to the lung after they excyst; instead they home to the uterus and infect the unborn puppies. The second stage larvae make their way to the puppies' lungs to develop into third stage larvae.
If the host is a nursing mother, second stage larvae can migrate to the mammary gland instead of the lung after excysting. Puppies can be infected by drinking their mother's milk, although due to the intrauterine cycle described above, the litter would probably already be infected.
Note: When dogs are dewormed with traditional dewormers, this affects only worms in the intestinal tract. It does not affect encysted larvae. It is difficult to prevent mother to puppy transmission and routine deworming is not adequate. It is possible to prevent infection in unborn puppies by using a specific daily protocol of fenbendazole or with the new generation products containing moxidectin (your veterinarian can provide details).
Step Four: Once back in the intestine, the larvae complete their maturation and begin to mate. The first eggs are laid about one week after the fourth stage larvae have arrived in the intestine and about 4 to 5 weeks after infection has first occurred. From here the cycle repeats.
Why is Infection Bad?
Roundworm infection can have numerous negative effects. It is a common cause of diarrhea in young animals and can cause vomiting as well. Sometimes the worms themselves are vomited up, which can be alarming as they can be quite large with females reaching lengths of up to seven inches. The worms consume the host's food and can lead to unthriftiness and a classical pot-bellied appearance. Heavy infections can lead to pneumonia as the worms migrate, and if there are enough worms the intestine can become obstructed.
It should also be noted that human infection by this parasite is especially serious (see below). It is important to minimize the contamination of environmental soil with the feces of infected animals so as to reduce the exposure hazard to both humans and other animals.
How do we Know if our Dog is Infected?
You may not know if your dog is infected, and this is one of the arguments in favor of regular deworming. Regular deworming is especially recommended for dogs that hunt and might consume the flesh of hosts carrying worm larvae. Puppies are frequently simply assumed to be infected and automatically dewormed.
Of course, there are ways to find out if your dog is infected. If a dog or puppy vomits up a worm, there is a good chance this is a roundworm (especially in a puppy). Roundworms are long, white and described as looking like spaghetti. Tapeworms can also be vomited up but these are flat and obviously segmented. If you are not sure what type of worm you are seeing, bring it to your veterinarian's office for identification.
Fecal testing for worm eggs is a must for puppies and a good idea for adult dogs having their annual check up. Obviously, if there are worms, they must be laying eggs in order to be detected, but by and large fecal testing is a reliable method of detection.
How do we get rid of Roundworms?
Numerous deworming products are effective. Some are over the counter and some are prescription. Many flea control and/or heartworm prevention products provide a monthly deworming that is especially helpful in minimizing environmental contamination. Common active ingredients include:
Febantel (active ingredient in Drontal and Drontal plus)
Pyrantel pamoate (active ingredient in Strongid, Nemex, Heartgard Plus and others)
Piperazine (active ingredient in many over the counter products)
Fenbendazole (active ingredient in panacur)
Milbemycin oxime (active ingredient of Interceptor, Sentinel, and Trifexis).
Moxidectin (active ingredient in AdvantageMulti)
There are two important concepts to keep in mind about deworming. Medications essentially anesthetize the worm so that it lets go of its grip on the host's intestine and passes out with the stool. Once it has been passed, it cannot survive in the environment and dies.
This means that you will likely see the worms when they pass, so be prepared as they can be quite long and may still be alive and moving when you see them.
The other concept stems from the fact that all the larvae in migration cannot be killed by any of these products. After the worms are cleared from the intestine, they will be replaced by new worms completing their migration. This means that a second and sometimes even a third deworming is needed to keep the intestine clear. The follow-up deworming is generally given several weeks following the first deworming to allow for migrating worms to arrive in the intestine where they are vulnerable.
Do not forget your follow-up deworming.
Roundworms Cats
There are two species of roundworms affecting cats and kittens: Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina. Both are treated with the same medication protocol so when eggs are seen on a fecal flotation exam it is not necessary to determine which species is present. T. leonina can infect both dogs and cats so identifying this roundworm might be helpful in indicating which pets in the household are at risk for further contagion.
How Infection Occurs
In cats, there are three ways by which infection with Toxocara cati occurs:
Consuming infective worm eggs from soil in the environment (generally through normal grooming)
Nursing from a mother cat that was herself infected in late pregnancy (most kittens are infected this way).
Consuming a prey animal (usually rodent) that is carrying developing worms.
Note: dogs cannot be infected with Toxocara cati. They have their own roundworm: Toxocara canis.
Life as a Roundworm
Toxocara cati has one of the most amazing life cycles in the animal kingdom. It is crucial to understand this life cycle if effective treatment is to be pursued.
Step One: Toxocara eggs are passed in the host’s feces. If a fecal sample is tested, the eggs can be detected. The embryonic worm develops in the outdoor environment inside its microscopic egg for one month before it becomes able to infect a new host. If environmental conditions are favorable, it takes about a month for the egg to become infective but Toxocara eggs are famous for weathering harsh environmental conditions. Eggs can remain infective for months to years.
Note: Fresh feces are not infectious.
Step Two: The egg containing what is called a second stage larva is picked up orally by a cat or by some other animal. The egg hatches in the new host’s intestinal tract and the young worm burrows its way out of the intestinal tract to encyst in the host’s other body tissues. If the new host is a cat, the life cycle proceeds. If the new host is a member of another species, such as a rodent, the larvae wait encysted until the new host is eaten by a cat.
Step Three: These second stage larvae can remain encysted happily for years. If the host is a cat, though, most larvae waste no time encysting and continue their migration straight to the lungs. The majority of the incoming larvae have reached the cat's lungs by the third day after infection. Those larvae that stay behind encysted do so in the cat's liver. Once they get to the lung, they develop into third stage larvae and burrow into the small airways, ultimately traveling upward towards the host’s throat. A heavy infection can produce a serious pneumonia. When they get to the upper airways, they cause coughing. The worms are coughed up into the host’s throat where they are swallowed, thus entering the intestinal tract for the second time in their development.
If the host is a nursing mother, second stage larvae can migrate to the mammary gland instead of the lung. Kittens can thus be infected by drinking their mother’s milk. Larvae that had encyst in the liver and gone dormant will re-awaken during the host's pregnancy, continuing their migration just in time to infect the nursing kittens. In this way, a well-dewormed mother cat can still infect her kittens.
Note: When cats are dewormed, this affects only worms in the intestinal tract. It does not affect encysted larvae. It is very difficult to prevent mother-to-kitten transmission and routine deworming is not adequate.
Step Four: Once back in the intestine, the larvae complete their maturation and begin to mate. The first eggs are laid about one week after the fourth stage larvae have arrived in the intestine and about 4 to 5 weeks after infection has first occurred. From here the cycle repeats.
Why is Infection Bad?
Roundworm infection can have numerous negative effects. It is a common cause of diarrhea in young animals and can cause vomiting as well. Sometimes the worms themselves are vomited up, which can be alarming as they can be quite large with females reaching lengths of up to seven inches. The worms consume the host’s food and can lead to unthriftiness and a classical pot-bellied appearance. Very heavy infections can lead to pneumonia as the worms migrate and, if there are enough worms, the intestine can actually become obstructed.
It should also be noted that human infection by this parasite is especially serious (see below). It is important to minimize the contamination of environmental soil with the feces of infected animals so as to reduce the exposure hazard to both humans and other animals.
How do we know if our Cat is Infected?
You may not know and this is one of the arguments in favor of regular deworming. Regular deworming is especially recommended for cats that hunt and might consume the flesh of hosts carrying worm larvae. Kittens are frequently simply assumed to be infected and automatically dewormed.
Of course, there are ways to find out if your pet is infected. If a cat or kitten vomits up a worm, there is a good chance this is a roundworm (especially in a kitten). Roundworms are long and white, and are described as looking like spaghetti. Tapeworms can also be vomited up but these are flat and obviously segmented. If you are not sure what type of worm you are seeing, bring it to your vet’s office for identification.
Fecal testing for worm eggs is a must for kittens and a good idea for adult cats having their annual check up. Obviously, if there are worms present, they must be laying eggs in order to be detected but, by and large, fecal testing is a reliable method of detection.
How do we Get Rid of Roundworms?
Numerous deworming products are effective. Some are over the counter and some are prescription. Many flea control and/or heartworm prevention products provide a monthly deworming, which is especially helpful in minimizing environmental contamination. Common active ingredients include:
Pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel (active ingredients in Drontal® and Drontal Plus®)
Pyrantel pamoate (active ingredient in Strongid®, Nemex®, Heartgard Plus® and others)
Piperazine (active ingredient in many over the counter products)
Fenbendazole (active ingredient in Panacur®)
Selamectin (active ingredient in Revolution®)
Emodepside (active ingredient in Profender®)
There are two important concepts to keep in mind about deworming. Medications essentially anesthetize the worm so that it lets go of its grip on the host intestine and passes with the stool. Once it has been passed, it cannot survive in the environment and dies.
This means that you will likely see the worms when they pass so be prepared as they can be quite long and may still be alive and moving when you see them.
The other concept stems from the fact that larvae in migration cannot be killed by any of these products. After the worms are cleared from the intestine, they will be replaced by new worms completing their migration. This means that a second and sometimes even a third deworming is needed to keep the intestine clear. The follow-up deworming is generally given several weeks following the first deworming to allow for migrating worms to arrive in the intestine where they are vulnerable.
Do not forget your follow-up deworming. At this time the emodepside product is the only one that with one treatment can attack immature worms still in the process of migration as well as the intestinal adults. All other dewormers require repeat deworming.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are a type of intestinal parasite or worm known as a cestode. These intestinal worms affect both dogs and cats as well as several other species of animals.
There are two types of tapeworms which can infect dogs and cats.
•Taenia spp.
•Dipylidium caninum
How do Dogs and Cats Become Infected with Tapeworms?
Dogs and cats can become infected with Dipylidium caninum tapeworms by ingesting fleas. Quite often, when a pet has fleas, a flea may be swallowed by the pet while grooming. If this ingested flea is infected with tapeworms, then the dog or cat which ingested it can become infected with tapeworms.
Dipylidium caninum tapeworms are the most common type of tapeworm seen in both dogs and cats.
The other type of tapeworm, Taenia spp., can be transmitted when a dog or cat eats undercooked or raw meats, such as livestock, venison, rats, mice or rabbits.
How are Tapeworms Diagnosed and What do They Look Like?
Both types of tapeworms are diagnosed by seeing tapeworm proglottids (small segments of the tapeworm) around the anus, under the tail or in the feces. These proglottids or tapeworm segments resemble small grains of rice when dry. When fresh, these proglottids may be seen crawling slowly across the anal region or the surface of a fresh bowel movement.
Can Pet Owners Get Tapeworms from a Dog or Cat?
Though it is not impossible for pet owners and other people to get tapeworms, they usually do not become infected directly from a pet.
In order for a person to become infected with tapeworms, the person needs to ingest undercooked (or raw) meat which contains tapeworms. Undercooked beef or pork are the most likely culprits in the transmission of tapeworms to people and it is the Taenia spp. tapeworms which people can become infected with in this fashion.
People can, on very rare occasions, become infected with Dipylidium caninum tapeworms as well. However, transmission of this intestinal parasite or worm requires ingestion of a flea, so occurrence is not common.
What Types of Symptoms can Tapeworms Cause in Dogs and Cats?
Occasionally, tapeworms may cause weight loss if the tapeworm infection is severe. Scooting or dragging the anus across the floor can sometimes be seen when a pet is infected with tapeworms also.
Most commonly, dogs and cats infected with tapeworms show no symptoms other than passing the tapeworm segments.
How are Tapeworms Treated in Dogs and Cats?
The medication most commonly used to rid dogs and cats of tapeworms is praziquantel. Praziquantel is available in an oral and an injectable form. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on which is better suited for your pet.
Can Tapeworm Infections be Prevented?
The best way to prevent tapeworm infections is by practicing adequate flea control.
Restraining pets from hunting and not allowing ingestion of raw or undercooked meals is also necessary to prevent the spread of tapeworms to dogs and cats
Whipworms
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Whipworms are an intestinal parasite that is found mostly in dogs, their is one species that is rarely found in cats. It is common in adult dogs and dogs boarded at kennels. These worms typically infect the large intestine.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Dogs that have low numbers of whipworms in the intestine usually won’t have any noticeable symptoms. If their are large amounts of worms present you may notice:
•Bloody diarrhea
•Mucous diarrhea
•Weight loss
SOURCE & CAUSE(S)
Whipworms are the common name for Trichuris vulpis, a small internal parasite that rarely grows to be more than two inches in length. It is a flat worm with segments that attaches itself to the wall of the large intestine. There, it continues to grow segments, each with it’s own digestive and reproductive system. The life cycle of the whipworm begins when the eggs are passed in an animal’s feces and become infective four weeks later. Your dog can get whipworms from ingesting food or drinking water that is infected with whipworm eggs.
DIAGNOSIS & TESTS
Diagnosis begins with a complete history and a physical exam. Your veterinarian will be most likely do the following:
•Fecal Floatation - This test is used to determine the presence of parasite eggs in your pet’s stool. It involves taking a small fecal sample from your dog using a lubricated fecal loop. The feces is then put in a small container with a solution that will allow most of the fecal matter to sink and the parasite eggs to float. A slide is then made of the floating material and examined under a microscope where eggs can be seen.
TREATMENT & MANAGEMENT
Whipworms are treated with oral deworming medications. Typical drugs used for whipworm infections include: fenbendazole (Panacur), febantel/praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate (Drontal Plus), or Mebendazole (Temintic).
PREVENTION & HELPFUL TIPS
There are a number of ways to prevent whipworm infestations in your pet:
•Regular fecal exams can help detect infestations early
•Most monthly heartworm preventive medication contain drugs that prevent whipworm infestation: Interceptor, Sentinel, and Advantage Multi are all examples.
•Proper sanitation and prompt disposal of feces in your yard is one of the keys to preventing whipworm infection. Eggs can survive even a frozen environment for up to 5 years, and there is no suitable method of removal. Replacing the soil or covering it with gravel or asphalt, as well as keeping your pet away from contaminated areas, will help prevent a whipworm problem.
• Dogs kept outside or kenneled should be kept in clean, dry kennels with a concrete floor, never on dirt surfaces.
Web-DVM.net - Health, Advice, and Information Community For Dog and Cat Lovers - All Rights Reserved - © Copywrite 2011
Web-DVM.net - Health, Advice, and Information Community For Dog and Cat Lovers - All Rights Reserved - © Copywrite 2011
Web-DVM.net - Health, Advice, and Information Community For Dog and Cat Lovers - All Rights Reserved - © Copywrite 2011
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