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.

Anyone can catch ringworm, but children, the elderly, young animals, people on chemotherapy, stressed individuals, and people who are HIV+ are at a greater risk of contracting ringworm. The reason stress, chemotherapy, and HIV make it easier to contract ringworm is these conditions disable the immune system making it harder to fight the fungus.

Ringworm comes from dermatophytes or microscopic organisms. The organisms consume the dead outer layers of the skin. The fungus also grows on the hair and nails. On the skin, it can look like the infected person has a worm growing underneath the skin. The worm takes the shape of a ring, hence the name ringworm. Other symptoms of ringworm include sores, itching, and reddened skin. Ringworm can appear on any area of the skin, even the groin area or the feet.

Depending on the severity of the condition, your doctor may prescribe oral medications, creams or a combination of the two to get rid of ringworm. Topical ringworm cures include Cruex cream, Desenex cream, Lotrimin cream, lotion, and solution), miconazole (Monistat-Derm cream), ketoconazole (Nizoral cream), and terbinafine (Lamisil cream and solution). Many of these treatment options are effective for foot fungus as well.

Oral ringworm treatment options include griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, and Gris-PEG), terbinafine, itraconazole (Sporanox), and fluconazole (Diflucan). When used properly, these treatment options will not have a negative effect on the liver. Effective medicated ringworm shampoos include Selsun Blue or anti-fungal shampoos that contain ketoconazole 2% (Nizoral) or the newer ciclopriox. When using most types of ringworm treatments, symptoms typically disappear within four weeks of treatment.

To prevent ringworm, WebMD.com offers the following advice:

-Don’t share clothing, sports gear, towels, or sheets. If you think you have been exposed to ringworm, wash your clothes in hot water with special anti-fungus soap.

-Wear slippers or sandals in locker rooms and public bathing areas.

-Shower and shampoo well after any sport that includes skin-to-skin contact.

-Wear loose-fitting cotton clothing. Change your socks and underwear at least once a day.

-Keep your skin clean and dry. Always dry yourself completely after showers or baths, drying your feet last.

-If you have athlete’s foot, put your socks on before your underwear so that fungi do not spread from your feet to your groin.

-Take your pet to the vet if it has patches of missing hair, which could be a sign of a fungal infection.

If you or someone in your family has symptoms, it is important to treat ringworm right away to keep other family members from getting it. -www.webmd.com

Oral ring worm treatment options include griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, and Gris-PEG), terbinafine, itraconazole (Sporanox), and fluconazole (Diflucan). When used properly, these treatment options will not have a negative effect on the liver. Effective medicated ring worm shampoos include Selsun Blue or anti-fungal shampoos that contain ketoconazole 2% (Nizoral) or the newer ciclopriox.
When using most types of ring worm treatment cures, symptoms typically disappear within four weeks of treatment.

So what exactly is ring worm? Often referred to as “circle worms,” these human parasites (and many others) are often misunderstood. Some people believe that ring worm, also spelled “ringworm” is really a worm. The words “ring” and “worms” are very misleading mainly because a ring worm is not an actual worm. Ring worm is a fungal disease of the skin and hair. People refer to ring worms as “circle worms” because of the circle shape that it forms on the skin.

Ring worm comes from dermatophytes or microscopic organisms. The organisms consume the dead outer layers of the skin. The fungus also grows on the hair and nails. On the skin, it can look like the infected person has a worm growing underneath the skin. The worm takes the shape of a ring, hence the name ring worm. Other symptoms of ring worm include sores, itching, and reddened skin. Ringworm can appear on any area of the skin, even the groin area or the feet.

Human parasites, fungus, and other annoying organisms can cause dozens of problems in human systems from allergies and asthma to inflammation and immune system deficiency. You can prevent infections by cooking foods thoroughly, drinking pure water, washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and washing your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom, handling pets or changing diapers.

• 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.

Ringworm comes from dermatophytes or microscopic organisms. The organisms consume the dead outer layers of the skin. The fungus also grows on the hair and nails. On the skin, it can look like the infected person has a worm growing underneath the skin. The worm takes the shape of a ring, hence the name ringworm. Other symptoms of ringworm include sores, itching, and reddened skin. Ringworm can appear on any area of the skin, even the groin area or the feet.

There are a number of different treatments for ringworm, but the treatment type will depend on how mild or severe the case of ringworm is. It will also depend on where the ringworm is located on the body. Depending on the location and severity of the infection, your physician may prescribe a remedy that is as mild as an over-the-counter medicated shampoo or as powerful as a round of potent antibiotic pills. Fortunately, ringworm can be treated quite easily with most medicated shampoos or oral medications, as well a number of prescription creams. When using most types of ringworm treatment options, symptoms typically disappear within four weeks.

Topical ringworm treatment options include: Cruex cream, Desenex cream, Lotrimin cream, lotion, and solution), miconazole (Monistat-Derm cream), ketoconazole (Nizoral cream), and terbinafine (Lamisil cream and solution). Many of these treatment options are effective for foot fungus as well.

Oral ringworm treatment options include: griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, and Gris-PEG), terbinafine, itraconazole (Sporanox), and fluconazole (Diflucan). When used properly, these teatment options are not bad for the liver as many people might believe they are.

Effective medicated shampoos include: Selsun Blue or anti-fungal shampoos that contain ketoconazole 2% (Nizoral) or the newer ciclopriox.

Human parasites and fungus can cause dozens of different problems in human systems from allergies and asthma to inflammation and immune system deficiency. You can prevent human parasites and fungus from growing or beign passed from person to person (or per to person) by cooking foods thoroughly, drinking pure water, washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and washing your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom, handling pets or changing diapers.

Another type of worm that could possibly end up on the skin, although it cannot survive there, is the pinworm. Pinworm is easy to contract through infected food and water. Pinworms can be easily passed from an infected person to a non-infected person through bathroom stalls and dirty hands.

Pinworm is the most common type of parasite infection in the United States and Europe today. While pinworm is most often found in kids, it can occur in adults as well. Humans become infected with pinworm after drinking water or eating food contaminated with pinworm eggs. Pinworm eggs are ovoid on one side and approximately .55 mm x .25 mm in size. The eggs can last for twenty days in most moist environments, even sewage.

The pinworm belongs to the family Oxyuridae, order Oxyuroidea, and the phylum Nematoda. Pinworms are classified as Enterobius vermicularis. Threadworms are also classified as Enterobius vermicularis. Pin worms are also called “seatworms” and they have several spellings including “pin worm,” and “pin worms.”

The adult pinworm, is small, white, and has a threadlike appearance. It develops in the body’s large intestine and lays its eggs in the anal region. The female pin worm can lay up to 15,000 eggs. While some people will not experience any symptoms of pinworms, others will experience mild to moderate symptoms. The most common symptom of pinworms is itching around the anus. The itching worsens at night when the female pinworm lays her eggs on the infected person. If the itching is too much to bear, the infected person may scratch. If the person does not wash his hands, it is possible that he can touch or scratch another area of the skin, leaving pinworms behind. Again, the pinworm won’t survive on bare, dry skin for long. It needs a dark, moist (not wet) environment to survive.

Pinworms rarely cause symptoms in other areas such as the vagina or urinary tract as these areas are constantly being flushed/cleansed with urine. If the pinworm does somehow make its way into the vagina or urinary tract, which is extremely rare, any irritation will go away on its own along with the pinworm. The pinworm just can’t survive in these areas. Because pinworms are easy spot, they are easy to detect. They are most active at night, so this is the best time to look for them. Pinworms can also be seen on the outside of the infected person’s stool.

There are several pinworm treatments on the market today. According to MedicineHealth: “Albendazole (Albenza) is the most common treatment for pin worms. Treatment is a single tablet, which kills the worms. There are different strengths for adults and children younger than 2 years. To lessen the chance of reinfection, the infected person will have to take a second dose two weeks after treatment. Pinworm eggs can survive for a few weeks. Other treatments such as Mebendazole (Vermox) and pyrantel pamoate (Pin-Rid, Pin-X) also work. They are also taken in a single dose and repeated 2 weeks later.”

There are several things that must be done after treatment (and beyond) to prevent reinfection. The treated individual should:

Avoid biting the fingernails

• Clean and vacuum play areas and continue this practice indefinitely
• Get into the habit of thoroughly washing the hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating, and before preparing food
• Launder all bedding every 3-7 days for 3 weeks
• Make sure the child or infected person changes his/her underwear daily
• Thoroughly wash all bedding, clothing, pajamas, and toys with hot water and soap to destroy any lingering eggs
• Wash underwear and pajamas daily for 2 weeks

If you or your child has been treated for pinworms and you (and your child) have carefully followed all of the steps listed above and your symptoms return, do not get discouraged. It is common for individuals, especially children, to become reinfected several months or so after being treated for pinworms. If this happens, call your doctor to get started on another round of treatment immediately.

There are a number of different ways to identify worms. You can identify them by becoming familiar with what common parasite worms look like or you may browse through images online. The most common types of parasite worms in dogs include hookworms, tapeworms, roundworm, whipworm, and heartworm. Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms live in the dog’s intestines and heartworms live in the dog’s heart and in the blood vessels that lead from the heart to the lungs. Heartworm is the deadliest parasite infection for dogs.

To identify parasite worms, you can begin by looking for dog worms in your dog’s food or buried in your dog’s fur. Worms can also be found around your dog’s anus, around his paws (from scratching), and in your dog’s ears. Roundworms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like grains of rice.

You can review pictures of the different types of parasite at The Dog Chat Forum at www.dogchatforum.com, Photo Vault, or “Photovalet. Pic search is another useful site. Pic Search features more than 2,000 worm images. Users may search through images by entering the type of worm or search page by page. Pic Search has roughly 20 images per page. Each image offers basic information about the worm and/or a link to a website that offers more detailed information about each subject.

To detect worms, you can also check for symptoms. Common symptoms of parasite worms include:

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

While early detection is important, prevention is even more important. Regular visits to your vet should help you detect worms early (twice yearly vet visits is recommended), but your vet will also have preventative medications, vaccinations, and many methods to help prevent worms in the first place. 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.

In addition to prevention, you should keep your dog clean and well groomed. Dispose of dog feces immediately and never leave it in piles around your yard, on the dog run or in the park. If your dog has symptoms of worms, please contact a vet’s care.

If you are interested in the different types organic dog worm “cures” that may be prescribed, we can provide a list for you. Again, this is just a list of non-conventional dog worm remedies. It is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any given condition.

Garlic
Wheat Bran
Oat Bran
Cina (wormseed)
Pumpkin Seeds
Vegetable Enzymes
Male Fern

About Dog Worms

Worms can happen to any pet, even pets that have been monitored closely. Unfortunately, elusive creatures such as fleas can land on your dog (or in his mouth) while outdoors, at the park, or on the dog run. Fleas are a major source of certain types of worms, such as tapeworms. When a dog accidentally swallows an infected flea, worms can hatch in the dog’s intestines.

Animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits may also contain tapeworms, and
dog worms can also be contracted from other pet’s feces. Pet feces can found in abundance around parks, on pet runs, and even in your own backyard. Whipworm and roundworm eggs can remain infectious for years, and hookworm larvae can multiply in the soil in and around a dog run, park, or yard.

Hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms live in the dog’s intestines and the heartworm lives in the dog’s heart and in the blood vessels that lead from the heart to the lungs. Round worms look like spaghetti and tapeworm segments look like grains of rice. If left untreated any type of dog worm can lead to serious complications in the digestive system, but heartworm is the most dangerous dog worm of them all.

Once your dog has been infected, you will notice a number of different symptoms. Your dog may have only one symptom or he could have all of them.
Symptoms of dog worms include:

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

Because heartworm is the deadliest type of worms in dogs, symptoms may be different from other dog worm symptoms. 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

While heartworm is most common in dogs, it can also affect more than 30 additional species of animals including cats, wolves, coyotes, ferrets, and even sea lions. Unfortunately, heartworm can affect humans as well. Although heartworm (also spelled “heart worm”) can affect other species and humans, dogs are its preferred host. It doesn’t matter where the pet lives either. Heartworms can thrive just about anywhere. In fact, heartworm cases have been reported all over the United States and in breeds of all kinds. Heartworm is not specific to older or younger dogs, male or female dogs, urban or rural dogs or well to do or average dogs.

Dog’s can become infected with heartworm from insect bites, mainly mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites the dog, the infection is transmitted through the dogs 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 earliest stages of heartworm, there are no abnormal signs of infections. In mild cases, coughing is present. In the moderate stage, you may notice coughing, exercise intolerance and abnormal lung sounds. In the most severe cases, all of the above symptoms above may be present. If the infection is severe enough, it can cause death.

Once you suspect that your dog has worms, the first thing to do is rush him to a vet. There is no substitution for a vets care, especially if you suspect that your dog has heartworm. Most pet owners would like to hear that they can just go online and find the most effective treatments for dog worms at a low cost. Unfortunately, cutting corners when it comes to dog worm treatment is dangerous. Again, caring for a dog with worms should only be done only under the care of a vet.

Most non-prescription medications don’t work. A professional veterinarian will have access to a number of innovative medications and preventatives that are extremely effective against the most aggressive types of parasites such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, and heartworm. These medications and preventatives are not available without a prescription. If you do find prescription dog worm medications that are available without a prescription, be weary. Mainly because: how do you know exactly which ones to give to your dog? How much? For how long? How can you test your dog for worms? How can you tell if an infection has completely cleared? Again, see your vet for the sake of your pet.

How to Prevent Dog Worms

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.

In addition to preventative measures, 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. If you notice any of the symptoms of dog worms listed above, please contact your vet immediately.

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

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

If your vet determines that your cat has hookworm, tapeworm, roundworm, or whipworm he may prescribe antibiotics, diet changes, and exercise. While these types of worms are rarely fatal, heartworm can cause sudden, serious, and even fatal disease in cats. 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.

Once your pet has been treated for worms, there are ways to prevent them from, 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.

Besides regular testing and keeping your cat indoors, you should keep your cat clean and well groomed and 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.

Natural worm medications are available over the counter tablet, syrup, and paste form. As stated earlier, most all natural medications don’t work and there really is no substitute for a vet’s care. Don’t put your pet or other members of your household at risk. Take your cat to a vet right away if you suspect that he has worms.

Common Cat Herbs

Natural products may be used as a dietary supplement or a supplement to other medicines. Some of the most common herbs and natural products used to help assist with controlling everything skin conditions to worms include:

· Cina (wormseed)
· Garlic
· Diatomaceous Earth (skeletal remains of diatoms, a very small sea creature)
· Pumpkin Seeds
· Wheat Germ Oil
· Vegetable Enzymes
· Filix Mass (male fern)

For more information about cat worms, see:

http://www.allaboutworms.com/treating-kitten-worms

http://www.allaboutworms.com/cat-signs-of-worms

http://www.allaboutworms.com/tapeworms-in-cats

When testing for worms, your doctor may ask a series of questions to determine if you are experiencing symptoms related to a parasite infection. These may include diarrhea, fever, coughing, vomiting, mucous in stools, abdominal cramps and gas, loose, foul-smelling stools, loss of appetite, and listlessness. Many individuals infected with parasites also feel “sick” overall, but not sick enough to interfere with normal daily activities.

Your doctor will also determine if you have certain conditions that are common in individuals infected with worms. He might test for allergies, digestion problems, infections such as yeast/candida infection, bacterial dysbiosis (bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine), and metabolic problems that may cause weight loss (underweight).

The different types of worms your physician may be testing for include:

-Cryptosporidium Infection
-Giardiasis Infection
-Entamoeba Infection
-Pinworm Infection
-Roundworm Infection
-Trichinosis
-Tapeworm Infection
-Whipworm Infection

Parasitic worms belong to four groups including Cestoda, Nematoda, Protozoa, or Trematoda. Tapeworms are Cestodes, while hookworms, pinworms, and roundworms are Nematodes. Giardia are Protozoa and flat worms are Trematoda.

Of these five common parasitic worms, the most common type of parasitic worms in humans is the roundworm. It is estimated that one in every four humans is infected with roundworms. Although this may sound alarming, there’s no need to panic. Parasitic worms such as roundworm rarely cause serious complications in Europe and North America.

Humans may contract worms by ingesting them through contaminated water or uncooked foods. Humans may also contract worms from pets and even from shaking hands with an infected person.

After being tested and diagnosed with worms, your physician will prescribe antibiotics based on the type of worm and severity of the condition. In addition to antibiotics, parasites can be eliminated from the body through the use of colon cleansers and/or colonics and/or by utilizing a number of different herbal or natural remedies.

It’s best to consult an herbalist for the very best herbal remedies to get rid of a parasite infection. In the meantime, there are several popular (and effective) remedies consisting of the following combinations of herbs and ingredients:

Black walnut leaves, wormwood, quassia, cloves, male fern
Capsicum, wormwood, sage
Cramp bark, pumpkin seed, capsicum, thyme, garlic
Black walnut, pine needles, sassafras

In general, herbal remedies should be taken orally for a minimum of two weeks. Some individuals may complain of re-infection. It is very important to change your eating habits immediately if you suspect a parasite or worm infection. It’s best not to go back to your regular eating habits in order to prevent re-infection. Certain foods, spices, and beverages might help to ward off parasite infections or they will keep you from becoming infected through food or water sources. These include:

Cranberry juice
High-fiber foods
Pumpkin seeds
Garlic
Pomegranates
Apple cider vinegar
Figs
Bottled or distilled water
Thoroughly cooked meats and seafood
Organic fruits and vegetables, washed thoroughly

Avoid the following foods and activities if at all possible:

Undercooked meats
Chestnuts
Sugar
Watercress
Refined carbohydrates
Swimming in lakes, rivers, an streams
Using the microwave to cook meats

Finally, never underestimate the power of clean hands! You should always wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom whether it is in your home or in a public place. In addition, wash kitchen utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after each use and wear gloves when changing your cats litter box or cleaning up after your pets.

For more information about parasitic worms, visit the official World Health Organization website at www.who.int.