Pet Worming Advice

There are many different types of worm that can affect your pet, and as some of them can be deadly, you need to protect your pet from getting them. The most common type of intestinal worms that affect pets are tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms. The lack of symptoms can do serious damage to your pet so it’s important to stick to a regular worming routine. You can do this with your vet, or alternatively come in store and speak to one of our SQP’s who will guide you on the right course of treatment for your pet. It’s still a good idea to keep an eye out for potential worms though, with symptoms including loose droppings or droppings containing blood, weight loss and loss of shine in your pet’s coat.

Tapeworms are long, flat worms that attach themselves to your pets intestines. A tapeworm body consists of multiple parts, or segments, each with its own reproductive organs and can grow up to 20cm in length. Tapeworm infections are usually diagnosed by finding segments which may look like grains of rice or seeds in your pets faeces or where your pet sleeps. The most common type of tapeworm to affect dogs and cats is called Dipylidium caninum which they become infected with after ingesting the infected intermediate host. In this case a flea. Common signs to look out for are itching, vomiting and weight loss. A prescription drug called Praziquantel is used to treat tapeworms, which causes the tapeworm to dissolve within the intestine. This drug is available from your vet and SQP.

Roundworms are extremely common parasites in dogs and cats. Almost all pets have roundworms at some point in their lives most often during their puppy/kitten stage. There are two main species of roundworms, Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine. Toxocara canis causes more serious disease and can be transmitted to humans. Adult roundworms live in the intestinal tract, where they feed on partially digested food, causing malnourishment which can be especially of concern in a small animal. This is because their immune systems are not fully mature yet and they aren’t able to fight off the adult worms as effectively as an adult can.

1. 1. From their mother - It’s very common for puppies/kittens to be born with roundworms, as the larvae are often transmitted from the mother just before birth or through their mother’s milk.
   2. From the environment – Both dogs and cats can become infected with roundworms by accidentally ingesting eggs from the environment, these eggs can be present in soil, on plants or other objects.
   3. From eating infected animals - Roundworm eggs can also be carried by small animals such as rodents, earthworms, birds, and some insects. These animals can carry the immature roundworm eggs which when ingested by a dog or cat these eggs are activated and can then grow inside them. 

• Malnourishment
• Coughing
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Swollen abdomen
• Lethargy
• Dehydration