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Pet Health :: Parasites in Dogs and Cats
Parasites in Dogs and Cats
A parasite is a small intestinal worm that lives inside your dog’s body.
Common Types of Worms
The most common types of worms found in dogs and cats are:
- Heartworms
- Roundworms
- Ringworms
- Whipworms
- Hookworms
- Tapeworms
How Do I Determine if My Pet Has Parasites?
As a regular and routine exam, you should schedule a visit with your vet to have your pet’s fecal matter examined. Such tests will determine if parasites are indeed living and growing inside your cat or dog.
Several symptoms include:
- The animal scoots across the carpeting or a rug on its bottom trying to scratch the itch in the rectal area
- Your pet seems to always be hungry, no matter how much you feed them. The problem is when your pet is eating a lot but not gaining weight. That’s what happens when worms live inside their bodies. They eat everything. If they had nothing to eat, they’d die.
What Types of Measures Are Suggested for Preventing Parasites?
Your veterinarian can suggest medications for each type of parasitic invasion and their future prevention. While indoor cats have less of a tendency to contract parasites, the same is not true for dogs. Dogs, if they have a severe case of worms can suffer with lung problems by medications that try to kill large infestations of the worms.
The best solution is to let your vet perform an examination and tests. Then follow his suggestions for medication recommendations.
