Kitten Info

Mt Pleasant SC Vet Info on Intestinal Parasites

There are various types of intestinal parasites (worms) that can infect pets. The methods of infection vary and the effects on the health of your Mt Pleasant SC vet pet vary dramatically.

Method of Infection:
Pets can be infected through a variety of ways. They can become infected through contact with infected feces, either through ingestion or skin penetration. Some parasites can be transmitted from mother to offspring across the placenta or through nursing. Finally, parasites can be transmitted to your pets through the ingestion of intermediate hosts, such as fleas, rodents and rabbits.

Types of Intestinal Parasites:
The following are the most common intestinal parasite infections seen in Mt Pleasant SC 29464 dogs and cats:

TAPEWORMS: Transmitted by intermediate hosts, these parasites feed from the intestines. Clinical signs are weight loss, increased appetite and poor hair coat. This is the only parasite that is routinely shed as an adult. The worms resemble small grains of rice or, if dried out, sesame seeds.

ROUNDWORMS: This parasite is commonly found in puppies and kittens as it is transmitted across the placenta. Other means of infection are by intermediate hosts or through the soil. Clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea, a pot-bellied appearance and poor hair coat. If the animal is heavily parasitized, an occasional adult worm (approximately five inches long and white) may be vomited or found in the feces. Usually, identification of parasitism is made through microscopic examination of feces.

HOOKWORMS: This parasite causes a serious health hazard in that it attaches directly to the intestinal wall. It can cause severe loss of blood and anemia. Clinical signs include listlessness, poor appetite, weight loss and black or bloody stool. Transmission is from the mother to the offspring through the placenta or milk. Adult dogs can become infected when the hookworm larvae is ingested or when the larvae penetrate the skin. Infestation with these worms is identified solely by microscopic identification of eggs on a fecal flotation exam.

WHIPWORMS: Primarily a canine parasite, infection occurs through ingestion of the egg. Symptoms include intermittent diarrhea, often with mucus and flecks of blood. Because eggs are shed intermittently, diagnosis is difficult, often requiring the microscopic evaluation of several samples.

COCCIDIA: These protozoal parasites are transmitted primarily by fecal-oral contamination, and primarily pose a health hazard to the very young. Once ingested, they develop in the cells of the digestive tract, causing a large amount of irritation. Coccidia is diagnosed by microscopic evaluation of the stool.

Veterinarians in Mt Pleasant SC discuss these and others found following regular wellness exams.

Human Infestation:
Roundworms are transmissible to humans by ingestion of feces-contaminated soil or by contaminated hands or objects. "Ocular Larval Migrans", caused by skin penetration of roundworms, can cause children to permanently lose their vision. "Cutaneous Larval Migrans" is a condition caused by skin penetration by hookworms in which the worm is living just under the skin. For these reasons, it is recommended to always wear shoes in areas where infected pets have been. If an intermediate host of the tapeworm, such as the flea, is accidentally ingested, human infection can occur.

Treatment for all household pets upon one becoming infested is not recommended. Due to the various means of transmission of internal parasites, the infection of one animal does not mean that others in the same household will become infected with the same parasite. The choice of deworming medication is based upon the parasite present and physical condition of the animal. There is no dewormer that is effective against all of the intestinal parasites that companion animals contract. Routine deworming is therefore not effective against all parasites and is not recommended.

Intestinal parasites do not lay eggs uniformly throughout the feces, nor do they produce eggs twenty-four hours a day. Because of this, it is possible to get negative results upon examination of a pet. The Mt Pleasant SC vet will often request another stool sample if he/she is suspicious of worms.

Some owners are confused why they need to provide a stool sample when they see no evidence of worms themselves. The eggs cannot be seen with the naked eye. The stool sample submitted to the Mt Pleasant veterinarian is exposed to a special solution that helps parasite eggs float onto a slide, which is then examined under a microscope.

There is additional owner confusion when the pet owner sees worm evidence and the worm test was negative. The adult tapeworm is segmented, and rather than laying eggs, a tapeworm segment is shed in the feces. Since eggs are shed in these segments and not as individuals in the feces, the fecal results (which test for eggs) can be negative. Mt Pleasant vets instruct owners to bring in the stool sample if they suspect worms.

The later signs of infestation such as diarrhea, weight loss or any indications of parasitism do not indicate the lack of parasites. Diarrhea and weight loss are only a few of the many symptoms of parasitism. Animals in the early stages of parasitism may not be showing any adverse signs. Regular wellness examinations of pets by a Mt Pleasant SC vet help ensure a quick diagnosis and treatment before the health of the pet is compromised.