Dear Spring Oaks’ Family:
The August topic of the month is intestinal parasite prevention in dogs and cats.
My pet has worms? Gross! Can I get them from my pet?
Intestinal parasites are very common in dogs and cats. Almost all puppies and kittens are born with Roundworms and get Hookworms soon after birth by nursing. Some of the other common intestinal parasites we see are Tapeworms from ingesting fleas and Whipworms from ingesting the parasite eggs. Less commonly we may see protozoans such as Giardia and Coccidia.
Intestinal parasites may seem to cause few adverse effects in adult healthy animals. You may notice diarrhea, thin body condition, vomiting, or even no clinical signs at all. Puppies, kittens, and older pets may have more serious and life threatening affects such as blood loss and dehydration. A suddenly lethargic puppy with pale gums may have a severe hookworm infestation and require a blood transfusion to recover.
Many of the intestinal parasites commonly seen in pets can be transmitted to people. Roundworm larva have been found in unusual locations in children, including the eye. This condition is called Ocular Larval Migrans. Children can ingest the Roundworm eggs through oral contact with soil/sand where cats and dogs have defecated. Picking up pet feces is the best way of preventing environmental contamination. Hookworms, Tapeworms, and Giardia are also Zoonotic (transmissible from animals to people ) diseases.
The good news is that parasite prevention is very easy to accomplish. Many of the common heartworm prevention products also have a dewormer in the medication. We carry the following products at Spring Oaks that are effective and safe routine dewormers:
For Dogs:
Tri-Heart Plus (Ivermectin/Pyrantel): Monthly for Hookworms and Roundworms
Heartgard Plus (Ivermectin/Pyrantel): Monthly for Hookworms and Roundworms
Interceptor (Milbemycin oxime): Monthly for Hookworms, Roundworms, Whipworms
For Cats:
Advantage Multi (Imidacloprid/Moxidectin): Monthly for Hookworms and Roundworms
Heartgard (Ivermectin): Monthly for Hookworms
Interceptor (Milbemycin oxime): Monthly for Hookworms and Roundworms
For other types of parasitic infection such as Tapeworms, Coccidia, or Giardia we may prescribe specific medications for your pet.
If you have questions or concerns about whether your pet may have intestinal parasites please schedule an appointment with Dr. Alshouse or myself. In addition, you may bring in a fresh (same day) fecal sample from your dog or cat for microscopic evaluation any time during normal business hours. Please package the sample either in a disposable sealed plastic container or double bagged in sealable plastic bags.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Dewormers are sold at many stores, can’t I use one of those for my pet?
A: In my experience most dewormers sold at pet stores, discount stores, and feed stores are not effective against even the most common parasites. I have seen many litters of puppies for health certificates who were dewormed with over the counter products by their breeders. When we examine the feces of these puppies many of them still have Hookworms, Roundworms or Coccidia.
Q: Can I use the Ivermectin from the feed store to deworm my pet?
A: Again, in my experience dogs being given Cattle/Horse Ivermectin for heartworm prevention often have Hookworms on fecal flotation. I do not recommend using Cattle/Horse Ivermectin for dogs or cats. The concentration of this product makes it easy to overdose a dog or cat. In addition, it does not contain a dewormer like Tri-heart Plus or Heartgard Plus.
Q: If my pet is on monthly deworming medication why do you have to check for parasites?
A: Most monthly heartworm preventions/dewormers have a limited spectrum of efficacy and deworm for Roundworms, Hookworms, and with some products Whipworms. As mentioned above there are other intestinal parasites besides Roundworms and Hookworms that may be detrimental to your pet. We screen for all types of intestinal parasites when we perform the microscopic fecal examination.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jim Jackson |
