Intestinal Worms

If your pet has a large number of worms you may find it becomes under weight, has poor coat condition and may have diarrhoea. In some cases it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and blood loss. Heavy intestinal worm burdens can cause death.

Worms sometimes have complex lifecycles which involve a period of existence and development outside your pet. Understanding the life cycle of a specific worm is important so that strategies for treatment and prevention can be designed and implemented.  For instance, some tapeworms need to pass through fleas, to complete their lifecycle, so flea prevention is an important method of controlling tapeworms.

It is important to maintain a routine worming treatment for your pets, to reduce the incidence of infection and to reduce environmental contamination. There are many worming treatments available for the various worm infections that occur in our pets.These are available as tablets, spot-ons, or pastes. Re-infection is a common problem, particularly in pets that are in contact with a heavily contaminated environment. Another very important reason to worm your pets is to protect your family; as children in particular can become infected with certain dog and cat worms.

Below are some tips to consider regarding worm prevention:

• Promptly clean up pet faeces

• Practice good hygiene, always encourage children to wash their hands regularly (especially after playing in dirt or sandpits, playing with pets or prior to eating)

• Prevent children from playing where the soil may be contaminated

• Keep your pet's environment clean

• Always dispose of dog faeces in public parks and playgrounds

Please call 4 Paws Veterinarians to discuss an intestinal worming program for your pet.