DId you feed the dog spaghetti?

 

Little worms, big trouble.

(Roundworms, round here?)

 

Roundworms are one of the most common parasites in dogs and cats. Seldom seen, but often lurking inside your pets intestines, roundworms are round and light tan in colour. The reason these worms are rarely seen in that the adult worms live inside the intestines and for the most part only their microscopic eggs are passed in stools. We often hear people say that their pet does not need to be dewormed simply because their “stools look normal” and they “haven’t seen any worms in their dog’s stool”. Unfortunately looking at stools with the naked eye is simply not an accurate way to find intestinal worms. Most commonly roundworms are diagnosed from routine stool testing that can be done at your veterinary clinic. A special solution is used to float the eggs and collect them on a microscope slide and they can then be seen under microscope. Rarely, some “lucky” owners will get the pleasure of finding roundworms which have been vomited up onto their floors.

 

Now let’s give you an idea of how common roundworms are. A survey has found that a third (30%) of puppies less than 6 months of age carry roundworms, and that one quarter (25%) of cats are infected with roundworms. Dog and cat roundworm infections are not restricted to certain geographical regions, but are common throughout North America. Raccoons also carry their own type of roundworm which is a little more regional, the West coast being one of the most prevalent areas. Roundworms are therefore a parasite of significant concern to us here on the Sunshine Coast.

 

So how can my pet pick up a roundworm? Puppies and kittens can get roundworms directly from their mothers either in utero (puppies) or while nursing (pups and kittens). Mature dogs and cats in general will pick up roundworms by ingesting eggs from contaminated soil or eating prey species which are infected with roundworms. This may not seem like that much of a threat, especially if you think your pet doesn’t eat other animals stool or eat prey animals. However, roundworm eggs are hardy and can remain infective in the environment for years! Once the eggs have contaminated the soil they can’t be removed or destroyed without extreme measures such as complete removal of topsoil, controlled burns or steam treatment. This makes it easier than you think to pick up a roundworm from the local park, beach or even your own backyard.

In adult dogs and cats the symptoms of roundworm infection are often mild, such as diarrhea with mucous. In puppies and kittens they are more likely to cause slow weight gain, poor hair coat, pot bellies, and severe infections can even cause death.

 

Roundworms are not just a concern to your dog or cat. Roundworms are one of the parasites that can be picked up by humans too! Most commonly it is children who pick up roundworms from playing in contaminated dirt or sandboxes and then ingesting the infective eggs. Roundworm infections in children can be quite severe, causing issues as varied as liver problems, neurologic problems, and eye disease.

 

The best way to prevent infection and spread of roundworm infection is to deworm your pet regularly, have your pet’s stools checked for roundworms, and wash yours and your children’s hands regularly and especially before eating. The current recommendations are to deworm your puppy or kitten from 2 weeks of age at 2 week intervals until they are 6-8 weeks of age, at which time they can be started on a monthly deworming control product. Having a stool sample examined for parasites once or twice a year is recommended even with regular deworming. There are lots of deworming products available to treat roundworms so feel free to give us a call to discuss which product will best meet your pet’s needs.