Get rid of the worms!

Intestinal worms - yuk! But there is no getting away from them, irrespective of what pet you own. Dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, rodents, birds - they all get them and all need to be given worm remedies at some stage in their lives.

Generally speaking, animals can develop some degree of immunity to most types of worms (there are exceptions). The robustness of the animal's immune system is an important factor -it can keep worms and their harmful effects at bay if it is functioning properly. They are thus more likely to occur when the immune system is underperforming as in the very young, the very old, or during stressful periods in the animals life.

An intestinal worm infestation can give rise to a variety of symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, anaemia, and poor body condition.

However, one cannot assume that a worm infestation is always the cause of these symptoms and so it is important that any pet showing these symptoms be properly examined by a Veterinarian to ascertain the cause.

It is also important to realise that not all dewormers treat all types of worm infestations, and this once again emphasises the need for an accurate diagnosis before any treatment is undertaken

Worm remedies come in a variety of formats (liquids,tablets, pastes,injectables)and their dosages vary. It is not uncommon to have the same worm remedy but different dosage rates and different periods of treatment for different types of worm infestation. Usually the size of the dosage will be related to the size of the pet while the duration of treatment is related to the specific worm type you are treating. However, do remember that no single remedy will treat all stages of all worm infestations.

Some worms can infect humans. Read more about Zoonotic Diseases

Lets take a closer look at some of the more common worms

Dog Worms

Roundworms.

These worms are probably the most common. They live in the stomch and intestine and look like pieces of spaghetti. Almost all puppies will become infected with them before birth, or shortly after birth through the mothers milk.

Adult dogs with competent immune systems will usually develop resistance to roundworms. Clinical symptoms of roundworm infestation are therefore mainly seen in puppies.The symptoms, depending on the severity of infestation can include poor growth, dull hair coat, a pot-bellied appearance, and vomiting and diarrhoea.

Hookworms.

These are much smaller worms that occur in the small intestine of the dog and attach to the inner lining of the intestine. They suck blood and other fluids from the dog. This can lead to anaemia (blood loss) and poor condition.

Most hookworm infestations also occur in pups early in life when they ingest their mothers milk.The most common symptom is dark to bloody coloured diarrhoea and rapid onset of listlessness due to the blood loss.

Infestations with either of these types of worms can be life threatening in puppies.

Tapeworms.

These are long, segmented worms that can grow up to 60 -70 cm + (2+ feet) in length. In infected animals one can often see the segments as rice like grains around the dog's anus. If they are freshly expelled, they might even be seen moving around a bit! Fleas and sometimes lice are intermediate hosts for the common dog tapeworm. Thus control of this type of infection needs to include flea and lice control methods to be succesful

Treating worm infestations.

The best and safest way is to have a stool sample from the pet examined by a veterinarian and then treat the specific infestation.

Remember to weigh the pet accurately because the dosage of the worm remedy will depend on the pets weight. If you under dose you run the risk of not getting rid of all the worms and overdosing, like any drug, can potentially be lethal to your pet.

Most puppies will have round worms shortly after birth and therefore it is important to deworm them regularly from 2 weeks of age. Ask your Veterinarian for a deworming schedule and remember that pups gain weight at an impressive rate so they will need to be re-weighed before each deworming and the dose adjusted accordingly.

Cats

However, an impaired, or not yet fully developed, immune system will allow infestations to occur. Thus once again the young are particularly likely to pick up a worm infestation. The most common symptoms include weight loss, diarrhoea, anaemia, and sometimes the 3rd eyelid becomes more noticeable.

Some other pets

Gerbils and Hamsters:Dwarf tapeworm

Guinea Pigs and Rabbits:Coccidia

Rats and Mice:Roundworms, Tapeworm, Coccidia

Snakes:Roundworms, tapeworms

Tortoises:Roundworms

General Deworming Rules

2) Accurately weigh the pet and give the correct dose of the applicable dewormer.

3) No dewormer will deal with all types of worms so - see point 1.

4) Generally speaking, the young need to be dewormed more frequently than adults.Get a deworming schedule from your vet.

5) Dewormers can produce side effects - find out what they are and how to deal with them to avoid surprises.

Here are some basic measures that you can take to decrease the worm load in your pets environment.

While dewormers are effective if the worm identification is accurate and the correct dewormer is given at the right dose, they generally do not have much long term action.

So it is often a case of treat today and open for reinfection tomorrow. Total worm eradication is thus unlikely, but the control of worms so they don't cause any damage to your pet is certainly possible

1) Do not keep pets in overcrowded conditions.

2) Try to keep pets on a surface that wont absorb and retain moisture. In the case of e.g. caged rodents and birds, change the bedding in the cage regularly.

3) Remove stools from the pets environment regularly.

4) External parasites e.g. Fleas, can act as intermediate hosts. Keep your pet free of external parasites.

5) Any new pet being introduced should be dewormed BEFORE it is allowed into contact with your existing pets.

There is a lot more you can learn about worms and how they impact on your pets. However, if you are not intending to do your PHd in helminthology, then the above information should enable you to make informed decisions about the types of worms your pet may have and the consequent deworming needs of your pet.