Worm prevention

 

 

Worms are internal parasites that can infect your dog, cat and other small animals throughout their lives. A routine multi-worming treatment is recommended every 3 months to kill any worms and help prevent infestation. Why not spread the cost of rountine worm and flea prevention treatments for your pet by joining our Pet Health Club.

Roundworm - the most common worm  Roundworm infest dogs, cats and other small animals like rabbits and affect their general health. They may grow to be several inches long and live in your pets' stomach and intestines. They can be passed from animal to animal and are long, thin, wiry and pale coloured. You may see the worms in faeces, or vomit or small worms' eggs sticking to the fur around the rectum.

Humans can also be infected with roundworm If the eggs are accidentally ingested, perhaps by putting dirty hands into the mouth after playing with the pet, or by letting the pet lick your face and mouth or from infected dog faeces. In children, roundworm can cause serious health problems such as blindness. If worm infestation is suspected, please consult your doctor.

Puppies can be infected before they are born by eggs in their mother bloodstream and kittens can be infected through the eggs they ingest, or the larvae in their mother's milk. Puppies and kittens need treatment from two weeks old until they are fully weaned, and then every 3 months. Ideally their nursing mothers should be treated too. We can guide you on this.

A roundworm infection in young animals can cause a noticeable swollen stomach, little overall weight gain and stunted growth. It can also cause vomiting and diarrhoea, bad breath, a poor, dull coat and coughing. In severe, untreated cases roundworm can be fatal.

Tapeworm Tapeworm has a head that hooks into the intestine. An adult worm can grow up to five metres long and affects cats, dogs and other animals such as rabbits. This worm is long and flat and made up of flat segments filled with tiny eggs. The segments break away and are passed out with the faeces. They can cause discomfort around the anus and sometimes they can be seen in the fur in that area. Tapeworm causes sickness and diarrhoea if the infestation is severe.

Tapeworm is not passed from animal to animal like roundworm. Your pet is infected by an intermediate host - usually the flea. The host flea ingests a tapeworm egg, this host flea then jumps on your pet, and is accidentally ingested during grooming - the infection is complete.

Part of tapeworm prevention is to keep your pet and home free of fleas. (See Flea prevention below)

Lungworm  Lungworm is a parasite that appears to be spreading in the UK and is not prevented or treated by the usual worming treatments. It is hard to diagnosis and detect but untreated, can be fatal. The worm is carried by slugs and snails and easily picked up from grass, outdoor water sources, toys, or infected dog faeces. As a lungworm infection can also cause poor blood clotting, we now recommend that all dogs are treated by this product before undergoing surgery. 

Click here for more information on lungworm in dogs (http://www.lungworm.co.uk/scripts/pages/en/home.php)

Other worms  Some species of worm, such as heartworm and whipworm that affect dogs, and hookworm that can be a risk to both dogs and cats, are currently not found in the UK. However, if you plan to travel with your pet in mainland Europe, it is advisable to take precautions against infestation by these parasites. (See Travelling with your pet) (Pet Travel Scheme PETS)

 

 

  Flea prevention

Ideally, flea control should begin as flea prevention. Fleas and an untreated flea infestation can seriously undermine the health of your pet, as well as infest your home. Adult fleas on your pet can cause flea allergy or anemia. Flea-related diseases account for more than fifty percent of the skin problems that are seen in the surgery.

Fleas favour warm and humid conditions, so warm weather brings an increase in numbers. However, fleas can be a year-long problem for pets living in centrally heated houses. Adult fleas jump onto your pet, biting them to feed on their blood. You may notice your pet scratching more than usual and may see a flea, or small specks of black flea droppings if you part the hair. Fleas lay about 30 eggs a day which drop from your pet to the ground or carpet, and these eggs in turn develop over time into adult fleas - and the cycle starts all over again. So as well as treating your pet, you will need to treat it's bedding, your upholstery, carpets - in fact wherever your pet goes, with a household flea product. Spray treatment products are available from us here at the surgery. Frequent vacuuming and washing of bedding will help.

Help and advice  With experience of the many flea control products, we are able to advise you on the best flea control treatments for your particular pet. There are specific products for each type of animal as they have different types of fleas. Cat fleas are the only fleas that can live on other animals too. Household flea products and sprays cannot be used on your pet, they can be harmful. We have a range of flea control products in the surgery for all your pets. Many products also kill mites and ticks. Generally many products are too toxic for very young animals. However there are now treatments available for puppies and kittens under 12 weeks of age.

Many people don't realise that fleas can pass tapeworm larvae to your pet, infecting them (see 'tapeworm' above) so regular worming is also important in safeguarding your pet's health.

New flea and mite treatment for dogs  Of particular interest is a fairly new flea and mite control product for dogs, that also helps control lungworm infection. Lungworm is a parasite that appears to be spreading in the UK and is not prevented or treated by the usual worming treatments. It is hard to diagnosis and detect but untreated, can be fatal (see Lungworm under 'Worms and worming' above). This product is available from the surgery.