Dogs and cats get worms. These are not the fishing kind or the brown ones found in the soil. These worms are parasites and live inside your pet. They feed off your pets and can make them very sick.

Some worms are zoonotic meaning people can become infected from animals. These diseases can be transmitted by direct contact, or by the consumption of animals and/or animal products.

We need to be especially careful of worms if pets are ever around children. If your pet has worms or has recently licked their rear end and then licked a human the worms can get transferred. Worms can cause blindness, fatigue, immune dysfunction and anaemia in humans.

Roundworms (Toxocara) are one of the most common worms – spaghetti-like worms, which can be seen normally once killed in faeces and/or vomit. These live in the intestines and if not treated can cause a pot-belly, stunted growth, vomiting and colic in dogs and cats.

These are also transmitted to puppies and kittens by their mother’s milk. Roundworms are exceptionally good at surviving in the environment, with viable eggs able to live outside the animal for several years.

Cleaning up stools daily prevents the spread of the eggs pretty efficiently and is a good practice to prevent infections. Roundworm eggs are sensitive to ultraviolet light. The eggs can be killed in enclosures by cleaning using aqueous iodine.

Hookworms are very serious worms because of their life cycle and feeding method. Hookworm larvae develop six sharp teeth and travel to the small intestine after ingestion. Some will settle there, but others burrow through and migrate to the lung tissue.

Puppies can be born infected or can become infected while drinking colostrum from their mother’s teat or from larvae in the litter box. Puppies born infected may be shedding eggs in their stool within 2 weeks of birth.

Symptoms of heavy infestations can be severe anaemia with pale mucous membranes and gums, weight loss or have black, tarry stools. Adults get bloody diarrhoea, cramping, vomiting and weight loss, in addition to anaemia. A badly infected puppy may need a blood transfusion and iron supplements to keep it alive, as well as treatment to rid it of the worms.

Whipworms are parasites that can infest your pet and require special treatment as they have the most environmentally resistant eggs of all the worms. These live in the lower bowel of dogs and can survive for up to a year, laying more than 2000 eggs each day.  Their eggs are passed in the droppings and can survive in soil and pet surroundings for years. 

Whipworms are harder to kill than roundworms and hookworms.  Worming the pets and cleaning up the stools on a regular basis should be sufficient to clinically prevent significant problems with worm infestations. Whipworms can cause severe diarrhoea, flatulence, pain and weight loss.

Tapeworms are intestinal parasites and look like grains of rice and may show themselves in your dog’s faeces and around the anus. Dogs pick up these from eating fleas that are carriers of this worm and from eating other wildlife such as small rodents and rabbits who have tapeworm carrier fleas.

Common flea tapeworm larvae develop in fleas, and when a pet eats an infected flea while grooming itself, the tapeworm develops in the animal’s gut. Other tapeworm larvae develop in rodents that can be eaten by pets, especially cats. While not a major health risk, tapeworms can cause itching and can be responsible for dogs rubbing their backsides on the ground, and irritation displayed by cats.

Good hygiene is crucial for all of us, but specifically for children, the elderly, and those who are immune compromised. To reduce the risks make sure you wash your hands after touching pets, and before eating.  Dispose of faeces properly and promptly, without handling you pet’s faeces or urine with bare hands – use gloves and clean litter boxes and remove solid wastes every day.  Clean the litter box with boiling water on a weekly basis.  Never let your pet drink from the toilet bowl, or lick your face.

Keep your pet clean and free from fleas, ticks, and worms.  A regular worming program is essential; worms are treatable & preventable.  A regular flea treatment regime will also help keep your pet parasite free.  Keep up to date with all pets’ vaccination schedules with regular check ups from your veterinarian.

While worming is effective in killing worms that are present in the intestine at the time of treatment, worming will not prevent against future infestation. This is why regular treatment, especially in your pet’s early months, is essential to the pet’s health.