Roundworms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like little grains of rice. Cat worms can be found in your cat’s food, buried in your cat’s fur, around his anus, and around his paws (from scratching). Cat worms can be found in your pet’s ears as well. Ringworm isn’t a worm, it’s a skin fungus. The fungus is shaped like a worm, but it forms a ring. To identify ringworm, all you have to do is look for “ring” shape on your cat’s skin.

Of all the different types of parasitic worms, tapeworms are the easiest to transmit because they are transmitted to cats though fleas. If your cat has fleas, he cannot transmit tapeworm to his owner, but he can easily transmit the fleas that carry the tapeworm.

If left untreated, worms in cats can hinder normal body functioning, while others, such as heartworm, can be fatal. Ringworm lives in dead skin, while hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms, live in the cat’s intestines. Also known as dermatophytosis, ringworm is an infection in the dead layer of the skin, hair, and nails. The fungus uses dead tissue, called keratin, in the skin as a source of nutrition. Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms live in the cat’s intestines and cause:

• Change in appetite
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Inability to exercise
• Distended abdomen, especially in kittens
• Dull coat

Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms can be treated are not fatal if treated early, another type of worm called “heartworm” can cause sudden, serious, and fatal disease in the cat. Even a small number of heartworms can be serious. Symptoms of heartworm include:

• Respiratory stress (difficulty breathing or rapid shallow breathing)
• Gagging
• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss

To learn more about heartworm, prevention, and treatment, visit the American Heartworm Society at www.heartwormsociety.org.

To prevent cat worms, have your cat screened for worms twice per year. High-risk cats typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Outdoor cats are high-risk as well. High-risk cats should be screened more than once per year. It’s also a good idea to keep your cat clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of cat feces immediately. Never leave it in piles in the litter box. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply quickly in dirty litter boxes.

If you think your cat has been exposed to worms, please contact your vet immediately.
Caring for a cat with worms should be done under the care of a vet. Your vet will have access to a number of effective preventatives against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm. Your vet will also have access to a number of medications approved for treating worms.

• Change in appetite
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Inability to exercise
• Distended abdomen, especially in kittens
• Dull coat

These symptoms could be a sign of just about any type of cat worm including, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms. These types of worms live in the cat’s intestines. Another type of “worm” is ringworm. Ringworm is not an actual worm, however—it’s a fungus. Also known as dermatophytosis, ringworm is an infection in the dead layer of the skin, hair, and nails. The fungus uses dead tissue, called keratin, in the skin as a source of nutrition.

Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms are easily treated through antibiotics, diet changes, and exercise. While these types of worms are rarely fatal if treated early, another type of worm called “heartworm” can cause sudden, serious, and even fatal disease in the cat. Even a small number of heartworms can be serious. Signs of heartworm include respiratory stress (difficulty breathing or rapid shallow breathing), gagging or vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

In addition to recognizing signs of cat worm symptoms, it is important to recognize what the different types of cat worms look like. Roundworms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like little grains of rice. In addition to your cat’s food, cat worms can also be found on or buried in your cat’s fur, around his anus, and around his paws (from scratching). It is not uncommon to find cat worms in your cat’s ears as well.

Certain types cat worms can be contagious to humans. Three of the most common types of contagious cat worms include roundworm, ringworm, and tapeworms. These types of worms are also easily transmitted between cats. Tapeworms are the easiest to transmit only because of where they actually come from. Tapeworms are transmitted to cats though fleas. If your cat has fleas, he can’t transmit an actual tapeworm to his owner, but he can easily transmit the fleas that carry the tapeworm.

Because cat worms are easy to transmit, you should keep the infected cat isolated until he completes treatment and the vet confirms that the cat is worm free. Caring for a cat with worms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications just don’t work. Your vet will have access to a number of preventatives that are very effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

Worm medications are available in tablets, syrups, and pastes. You can purchase worm products over the counter, but again, most over non-prescription medications don’t work and there really is no substitute for a vet’s care. Don’t put your other pets or other members of your household at risk. Take your cat to a vet right away if you suspect that he has worms.

One of the best ways to prevent a serious cat worm infection is to have your cat screened for worms twice per year. If your cat is considered high-risk for worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk cats typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Outdoor cats are especially susceptible to worms.

It is important to remember that fleas are a source of certain types of tapeworms. When a cat accidentally swallows an infected flea, the tapeworms can hatch in the cat’s intestines. These types of tapeworms can also be transmitted to humans as well. Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, so if you have an outdoor cat, it will be impossible to keep your cat away from them. You may want to rethink allowing your cat to roam around freely outdoors.

It’s important to keep your cat clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of cat feces immediately. Never leave it in piles in the litter box. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply quickly in dirty litter boxes.

Heartworm is most common in dogs, but it can also affect more than 30 other species of animals such cats, wolves, coyotes, ferrets, and sea lions. Heartworm can affect humans as well. Heartworm can thrive in just about any area of the world. In fact, heartworm cases have been reported all over the United States in breeds of all kinds. Heartworm is not specific to older or younger animals, male or female animals, or urban or rural animals.

Dogs and cats can become infected with heartworms from insect bites, such as bites from a mosquito. When the mosquito bites the dog or cat, the infection is transmitted through the animal’s skin. The larvae develop in the body over a period of several months during which time they grow and migrate to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

In additionto coughing up worms, symptoms of Heartworm include:

·Abnormal heart sounds
·Abnormal lung sounds
·Difficulty breathing
·Enlargement of the liver
·Exercise intolerance
·Fluid accumulation in the abdomen
·Temporary loss of consciousness

In the earliest stages, there are no abnormal signs of infection. Even in mild cases, however, coughing is present. In the moderate stage, you may notice more intense coughing, exercise intolerance, and abnormal lung sounds. In the most severe cases, all of the above symptoms may be present. If the infection is severe enough, it can cause death.

There are a number of conventional and natural treatments for heartworm. Many conventional treatments are highly effective and some natural treatments for heartworm may be effective only the early stages of the infection. The goal for conventional treatments for heartworm is to kill all adult worms with an adulticide and all microfilariae with a microfilaricide. The American Heartworm Society offers the detailed treatment description below. Please read carefully.

Adult Heartworm Therapy (Adulticide Therapy)
There is currently one drug approved by the FDA for use in dogs for the elimination of adult heartworms. This drug is an organic arsenical compound. Dogs receiving this drug therapy will typically have had a thorough pretreatment evaluation of its condition and will then be hospitalized during the administration of the drug. Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide®, Merial) has demonstrated a higher level of effectiveness and safety than any other adult heartworm treatment previously available. It is administered by deep intramuscular injection into the lumbar muscles. For complete information on the classification and treatment for heartworm infected dogs using this product, consult your veterinarian.

Post-Adulticide Complications
The primary post-adulticide complication is the development of severe pulmonary thromboembolism. Pulmonary thromboembolism results from the obstruction of blood flow through pulmonary arteries due to the presence of dead heartworms and lesions in the arteries and capillaries of the lungs. If heartworm adulticide treatment is effective, some degree of pulmonary thromboembolism will occur.

When dead worms are numerous and arterial injury is severe, widespread obstruction of arteries can occur. Clinical signs most commonly observed include fever, cough, hemoptysis (blood in the sputum) and potentially sudden death. It is extremely important to not allow exercise in any dog being treated for heartworms. Often dogs with severe infections will also require the administration of anti-inflammatory doses of corticosteroids.

Elimination of Microfilariae
The most effective drugs for this purpose are the macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics, i.e.,milbemycin oxime, selamectin, moxidectin and ivermectin. These drugs are the active ingredients in commonly used heartworm preventives. Although their usage as microfilaricides has not been approved by the FDA, they are widely used by veterinarians as there are no approved microfilaricidal drugs currently available. It is recommended that microfilariae positive dogs being treated with these macrocyclic lactones be hospitalized for at least eight hours following treatment for observation of possible adverse reactions, including those resulting from rapid death of the microfilariae.

Circulating microfilariae usually can be eliminated within a few weeks by the administration of the ML-type drugs mentioned above. Today however, the most widely used microfilaricidal treatment is to simply administer ML preventives as usual, and the microfilariae will be cleared slowly over a period of about six to nine months. – The American Heartworm Society

Natural Cures for Heartworm

While treatments for heartworm are best administered under a vets care, some pets may be too old or too sick to undergo rigorous treatments. They may be too old for preventative medications as well. Preventative care in the form of monthly tablets, chewables, or topicals includes: Ivermectin, Macrocyclic Lactone (ML), Milbemycin, Moxidectin, and Selamectin. Natural cures for canine heartworms are not regulated, so there is literally hundreds, if not thousands, of products on the market that claim to cure or prevent canine heart worms. It’s best to speak with your vet about alternative cures or contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to locate a holistic vet in your area.

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
phone 410-569-0795
fax 410-569-2346
e-mail: office@ahvma.org
website: http://www.ahvma.org/

Roundworms feed on living tissues, fecal matter, and dead organisms. Feeding can take place outside or inside of the pet’s body. Roundworms are easy to contract from casual contact with other pets, dog runs, parks, carcasses, and from fleas. When a dog or cat accidentally swallows an infected flea, worms can hatch in the pet’s intestines. Roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, so keeping your home and yard clean and keeping your pet away from dirty dog runs and dead rodents is crucial to keeping him worm-free.

One of the easiest ways to detect roundworm is to examine your pet’s feces. You should be able to see worms or segments quite easily. Roundworms can also be found around pets’ paws (from scratching around the anus). Before examining your pet’s feces and paws, it is important to know the difference between how certain parasitic worms look. Roundworms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like grains of rice.

If you notice any changes in your pet’s behavior, weight or eating habits, he may have roundworm. Symptoms of roundworm include:

·Change in your dog’s appetite
·Diarrhea
·Distended abdomen in puppies
·Dull coat
·Inability to exercise
·Vomiting
·Weakness
·Weight loss

There are ways to prevent roundworms. One of the most important ways to prevent a serious worm infection is to have your pet screened for worms twice per year. If your pet is considered high-risk for worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk pets live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Show pets and hunting dogs are also considered high-risk. Outdoor cats are at serious risk.

Caring for a pet with roundworms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications do not work. Your vet will have access to a number of cutting-edge preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

In addition to preventative measures, it’s also a good idea to keep your pet clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of pet feces immediately. Never leave it in piles around your yard, dog run, in the litter box, etc. If you notice any of the symptoms of worms listed above, please contact your vet immediately.

Interested in alternative cures for dog worms? Speak with your vet about alternative cures or contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to locate a holistic vet in your area.

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
phone 410-569-0795
fax 410-569-2346
e-mail: office@ahvma.org
website: http://www.ahvma.org

The most common types of kitten worms are tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms.

Tapeworms
Tapeworms live in a cat’s digestive tract absorbing much needed nutrients from the body. They infect an animal through infected fleas, uncooked meat or when a cat eats other animals such as rodents. Tapeworm eggs are eliminated through an infected cat’s stool.

Evidence of the worm’s presence can be seen in stool or around a cat’s rear end where eggs and worm segments are often found. In severe infections, evidence of the worm’s presence can be seen in vomit.

Treatment is simple. A dewormer (usually in pill form) is the common form of prescribed treatment. Veterinarians may also suggest some type of flea control as fleas are a common source of infection.

Roundworms
There are several types of roundworms. However, they have similar symptoms and the same treatment options. Roundworms are very common in kittens as they can be passed on through the mother’s milk.

Symptoms of roundworm infection are essentially the same as the symptoms of tapeworm infection. Again, this is why stool testing to confirm the type of worm infecting your cat or kitten is critical to ensuring proper diagnosis and treatment.

There are additional symptoms in kittens: “vomiting, diarrhea, dull coats, a pot belly on a thin body, and weakness” are all symptoms of roundworm infection. A dewormer treats the condition although it may have to be repeated to be effective.

Hookworms
The least common of kitten worm infections, hookworms, are generally present in hot, humid climates. They infect kittens through their mother’s milk, through prey and through rotten meat.

Hookworms have rather severe effects on their hosts including anemia, diarrhea and weight loss. A rash between the toes and dark black stools or stools that are dark red may also be present. Hookworm infections are very serious and must be treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. While the infection may not be very common, it is very deadly if not treated.

Kittens and cats with hookworms may have to spend a day or two at a veterinary clinic to begin treatment. While your kitten is at the vet, you must clean all areas of the home thoroughly to eliminate worms and eggs. You should also consider having your kitten tested several times a year and ask your vet about worm vaccines.

Heartworm cases have been reported all over the United States, in breeds of all kinds. Pet’s can become infected with heartworm from mosquito bites. When the mosquito bites the pet, the infection is transmitted through the dog or cat’s skin. The larvae develop in the body over a period of several months during which time they grow and migrate to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

In the early stages of heartworm, there are no abnormal signs of infection. In mild cases, coughing is present. Once heartworm begins to advance, your pet may cough, he might be intolerant to exercise and you may hear abnormal lung sounds. In the most severe cases, your pet may have:

-Abnormal heart sounds (moderate to severe cases)
-Abnormal lung sounds (moderate to severe cases)
-Difficulty breathing
-Enlargement of the liver
-Exercise intolerance (moderate to severe cases)
-Fluid accumulation in the abdomen
-Temporary loss of consciousness

There are a number of conventional treatments for heartworm that are considered highly effective. There are also many natural treatments for canine heartworm that may be effective in the earliest stages of the infection. The goal for conventional treatments for heartworm is to kill all adult worms with an adulticide and all microfilariae with a microfilaricide. The American Heart worm Society offers the detailed treatment description below. Please read carefully.

Adult Heart worm Therapy (Adulticide Therapy)
There is currently one drug approved by the FDA for use in dogs for the elimination of adult heart worms. This drug is an organic arsenical compound. Dogs receiving this drug therapy will typically have had a thorough pretreatment evaluation of its condition and will then be hospitalized during the administration of the drug. Melarsomine dihydrochloride (Immiticide®, Merial) has demonstrated a higher level of effectiveness and safety than any other adult heart worm treatment previously available. It is administered by deep intramuscular injection into the lumbar muscles. For complete information on the classification and treatment for heart worm infected dogs using this product, consult your veterinarian.

Post-Adulticide Complications
The primary post-adulticide complication is the development of severe pulmonary thromboembolism. Pulmonary thromboembolism results from the obstruction of blood flow through pulmonary arteries due to the presence of dead heart worms and lesions in the arteries and capillaries of the lungs. If heartworm adulticide treatment is effective, some degree of pulmonary thromboembolism will occur.

When dead worms are numerous and arterial injury is severe, widespread obstruction of arteries can occur. Clinical signs most commonly observed include fever, cough, hemoptysis (blood in the sputum) and potentially sudden death. It is extremely important to not allow exercise in any pet being treated for heart worms. Often pets with severe infections will also require the administration of anti-inflammatory doses of corticosteroids.

Elimination of Microfilariae
The most effective drugs for this purpose are the macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics, i.e.,milbemycin oxime, selamectin, moxidectin and ivermectin. These drugs are the active ingredients in commonly used heart worm preventives. Although their usage as microfilaricides has not been approved by the FDA, they are widely used by veterinarians as there are no approved microfilaricidal drugs currently available. It is recommended that microfilariae positive dogs being treated with these macrocyclic lactones be hospitalized for at least eight hours following treatment for observation of possible adverse reactions, including those resulting from rapid death of the microfilariae.

Circulating microfilariae usually can be eliminated within a few weeks by the administration of the ML-type drugs mentioned above. Today however, the most widely used microfilaricidal treatment is to simply administer ML preventives as usual, and the microfilariae will be cleared slowly over a period of about six to nine months. – The American Heart worm Society

Natural Cures for Heart Worm
While treatments for heartworm should take place under the supervision of a veterinarian, some pets may be too old or too sick to undergo aggressive treatments. They may be too old for preventative medications as well. Preventative care in the form of monthly tablets, chewables, or topicals includes: Ivermectin, Macrocyclic Lactone (ML), Milbemycin, Moxidectin, and Selamectin. Natural cures for heart worms are not regulated, so there is literally hundreds, if not thousands, of products on the market that claim to cure or prevent heart worms. It’s best to speak with your vet about alternative cures or contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to locate a holistic vet in your area.

American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
2218 Old Emmorton Road
Bel Air, MD 21015
phone 410-569-0795
fax 410-569-2346
e-mail: office@ahvma.org
website: www.ahvma.org

The best way to protect yourself from contracting worms from your cat is to keep your cat worm-free. First, let’s discuss the different types of worms that are likely to be found in cats. The most common types of cat worms include ringworm, which live in dead skin, hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms. These types of worms live in the cat’s intestines. Also known as dermatophytosis, ringworm is an infection in the dead layer of the skin, hair, and nails. The fungus uses dead tissue, called keratin, in the skin as a source of nutrition. Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms live in the cat’s intestines and they can cause:

• Change in appetite
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Inability to exercise
• Distended abdomen, especially in kittens
• Dull coat

Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms are easily treated through antibiotics, diet changes, and exercise. While these types of worms are rarely fatal if treated early, another type of worm called “heartworm” can cause sudden, serious, and even fatal disease in the cat. Even a small number of heartworms can be serious. Symptoms of heartworm include respiratory stress (difficulty breathing or rapid shallow breathing), gagging or vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

In addition to recognizing cat worm symptoms, it is important to recognize what the different types of cat worms look like. Roundworms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like little grains of rice. In addition to your cat’s food, cat worms can also be found on or buried in your cat’s fur, around his anus, and around his paws (from scratching). It is not uncommon to find cat worms in your cat’s ears as well.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent cat worms. One of the best ways to prevent a serious cat worm infection is to have your cat screened for worms twice per year. If your cat is considered high-risk for worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk cats typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Outdoor cats are especially susceptible to worms.

Caring for a cat with worms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications don’t work. Your vet will have access to a number of cutting-edge preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

It is important to keep in mind that fleas are a source of certain types of tapeworms. When a cat accidentally swallows an infected flea, the tapeworms can hatch in the cat’s intestines. These types of tapeworms can also be transmitted to humans as well. Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, so if you have an outdoor cat, it will be impossible to keep your cat away from them. You may want to rethink allowing your cat to roam around freely outdoors.

It’s also a good idea to keep your cat clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of cat feces immediately. Never leave it in piles in the litter box. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply quickly in dirty litter boxes.

If you suspect that your cat has worms, please contact your vet immediately.

Tapeworms are the easiest to transmit only because of where they actually come from. Tapeworms are transmitted to cats though fleas. If your cat has fleas, he can’t transmit an actual tapeworm to his owner, but he can easily transmit the fleas that carry the tapeworm.

Much like worms in humans, worms in cats can be harmful if left untreated. Some of the most common types of worms cause symptoms that could potentially be fatal. The most common types of cat worms include ringworm, which live in dead skin, hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms. These types of worms live in the cat’s intestines. Also known as dermatophytosis, ringworm is an infection in the dead layer of the skin, hair, and nails. The fungus uses dead tissue, called keratin, in the skin as a source of nutrition. Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms live in the cat’s intestines and they can cause:

• Change in appetite
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Inability to exercise
• Distended abdomen, especially in kittens
• Dull coat

Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms are easily treated through antibiotics, diet changes, and exercise. While these types of worms are rarely fatal if treated early, another type of worm called “heartworm” can cause sudden, serious, and even fatal disease in the cat. Even a small number of heartworms can be serious. Symptoms of heartworm include respiratory stress (difficulty breathing or rapid shallow breathing), gagging or vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent cat worms. One of the best ways to prevent a serious cat worm infection is to have your cat screened for worms twice per year. If your cat is considered high-risk for worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk cats typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Outdoor cats are especially susceptible to worms.

Caring for a cat with worms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications don’t work. Your vet will have access to a number of cutting edge preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

It is important to keep in mind that fleas are a source of certain types of tapeworms. When a cat accidentally swallows an infected flea, the tapeworms can hatch in the cat’s intestines. These types of tapeworms can also be transmitted to humans as well. Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, so if you have an outdoor cat, it will be impossible to keep your cat away from them. You may want to rethink allowing your cat to roam around freely outdoors.

It’s also a good idea to keep your cat clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of cat feces immediately. Never leave it in piles in the litter box. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply quickly in dirty litter boxes. If you think your cat has been exposed to worms, please contact your vet immediately.

Other types of parasitic worms common to puppies and kittens include: roundworm, whipworm, and heartworm. Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms live in the pet’s intestines and the heartworm lives in the pets heart and in the blood vessels that lead from the heart to the lungs. If left untreated any type of puppy or kitten worm can be fatal, but the heartworm is the most dangerous of them all.

In addition to finding worms in your pet’s stool, other puppy and kitten worm symptoms include:

·Change in your pet’s appetite
·Coughing and hiccupping (due to heartworm)
·Diarrhea
·Distended abdomen kittens
·Dull coat
·Inability to exercise
·Vomiting
·Weakness
·Weight loss

In addition to recognizing puppy and kitten worm symptoms, it is also important to recognize what the different types of pet worms look like. Round worms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like grains of rice. In addition to your pet’s food, puppy and kitten worms can also be found in on or buried in your pet’s fur, around his anus, around his paws (from scratching) and it is not uncommon to find them in your pet’s ears.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent pet worms. One of the most important ways to prevent a serious puppy or kitten worm infection is to have your pet screened As your pet grows, he or she should be screened twice a year. If your pet is considered high-risk for worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk pets typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Outdoor cats are especially susceptible to worms.

Caring for a pet with worms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications don’t work. Your vet will have access to a number of cutting edge preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

It is important to keep in mind that fleas are a source of certain types of tapeworms. When a kitten or puppy accidentally swallows an infected flea, the tapeworms can hatch in the pet’s intestines. These types of tapeworms can also be transmitted to humans as well. Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, so if you have an outdoor cat, it will be impossible to keep him away from them. You may want to rethink allowing your cat to roam around freely outdoors. Regarding dogs, you just have to keep a very watchful eye when walking your dog around outside or playing in the park.

It’s also a good idea to keep your pet clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of puppy and kitten feces immediately. Never leave it in piles in the litter box, around the yard or on the dog run. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply quickly in dirty litter boxes.

If you notice any of the symptoms of pet worms listed above, please contact your vet immediately.

In addition to finding worms in your pet’s stool, other symptoms to look for include:

Weight loss
Dull coat
Weakness
A change in your dog’s appetite
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Distended abdomen in puppies
Inability to exercise
Coughing and hiccupping (due to heartworm)

It’s also important to recognize what the different types parasitic worms look like. Round worms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like grains of rice. In addition to your dog’s food, dog worms can be found in on or buried in your dog’s fur, around his anus, around his paws (from scratching) and it is not uncommon to find them in your dog’s ears.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent dog worms. One of the most important ways to prevent a serious dog worm infection is to have your pet screened for worms twice per year. If your dog is considered high-risk for worms, you should have him screened more than twice a year. High-risk dogs typically live in condensed urban areas and they usually live in a home with more than one pet. Show pets and hunting dogs are also considered high-risk. Caring for a dog with worms should be done only under the care of a vet. Most non-prescription medications don’t work. Your vet will have access to a number of cutting edge preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm.

It is important to keep in mind that fleas are a source of certain types of tapeworms. When a dog accidentally swallows an infected flea, the tapeworms can hatch in the dog’s intestines. These types of tapeworms can also be transmitted to humans as well. Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, so be sure to keep your pets away from them at all costs.

It’s also a good idea to keep your dog clean and well groomed. You should also dispose of dog feces immediately. Never leave it in piles around your yard, dog run, etc. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply in the soil in and around a dog run.

If your dog shows symptoms of heartworm or intestinal parasites, please contact your vet immediately.