At
CanadaVet.com,
this winter we want to warn pet owners about four parasitic worms that
may be wreaking havoc inside their pet’s organs. These worms are
worrisome, not only because they cause serious health problems in our
pets, but many of them also pose a zoonotic risk - where the infection
can be transferred from pet to pet owner. The four main types of
gastrointestinal worms we need to watch out for include: Hookworm,
Tapeworm, Roundworm and Whipworm.
HookwormDescription: Hookworms are grayish white in color and they are shaped like a hook.
How Infection Occurs: Hookworms
can penetrate your pet’s skin, leading to infection. So if your pet
comes in contact with contaminated feces, is exposed to soil
contaminated with larvae or hunts infected animals; your pet is at risk.
Hookworm is usually transmitted to puppies via an infected bitch’s
milk.
Symptoms: Hookworms
feed on your pet’s blood by latching on to the intestinal wall. This
can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, intestinal
bleeding and severe anemia which may result in death.
Zoonotic Risk: Yes,
hookworm can be transferred to humans via skin contact or ingestion of
contaminated soil. This is more common in warm, humid climates.
TapewormDescription: The Tapeworm’s body is long and consists of multiple, flat segments.
How Infection Occurs: Typically,
pets contract tapeworm from another parasite – fleas. Firstly, a flea
may ingest a tapeworm egg. A tapeworm then develops inside the flea.
Many pets eat fleas as they try to groom themselves. So your pet could
easily ingest a flea infected with tapeworm.
Symptoms: Tapeworms
hook on to your pet’s small intestine to feed. This will lead to your
pet having problems absorbing their food, diarrhea or scooting (perianal
irritation).
Zoonotic Risk: Tapeworms
do pose a zoonotic risk – especially for children. This is because
children in particular are at risk of accidently ingesting an infected
flea. The infection can also be transmitted through ingestion of
infected feces or soil that has been contaminated with eggs.
RoundwormDescription: Roundworms are round in shape and resemble a piece of string. They can grow up to approximately 6 inches.
How Infection Occurs: Roundworm
is transmitted when your pet ingests stools or soil infected with worm
eggs. Pets can also contract the disease when hunting infected prey.
Puppies may be born with roundworm if their mothers are infected.
Symptoms: Roundworm
larvae migrate through your pets liver and lungs and live as adults in
the small intestine. This causes diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss,
lethargy and a pot-bellied appearance. Large numbers of roundworm may
also block the intestine causing constipation. The infection is the most
severe in puppies, as it may result in respiratory disease, stunted
growth or death.
Zoonotic Risk: Yes,
young children are at particular risk if exposed to contaminated soil
or feces. In humans, the migrating roundworm larvae may reach the brain
or eyes, causing blindness.
WhipwormDescription: Whipworms are shaped like a whip, being very thin at the front and thick at the back.
How Infection Occurs:
Whipworm is contracted when pets consume water, food, soil or feces
that have been contaminated with whipworm eggs. Whipworm eggs can
survive in the environment for years.
Symptoms: The
whipworm’s mouth is structured like a spear to puncture the wall of the
large intestine. They feed on your pet’s blood, causing dehydration,
anemia and diarrhea.
Zoonotic Risk: Fortunately, whipworms pose no zoonotic risk so just pets, not pet owners, are at risk.
Obviously,
worm control measures should be taken to protect our pets from these dangerous parasites. A range of
wormers are available including
Drontal Plus All-wormer for Dogs and
Profender All-wormer for Cats. So stop worrying about your pet and start a
worm control program on your furry-friend this winter.
