Your Pet at Home | Pets and Parasites
All pets are susceptible to several very common intestinal parasites, most commonly referred to as "worms". Pets typically become infected by licking their paws after walking or playing in an infected area. Some of these parasites are only a minor inconvenience, while others can cause serious health problems, especially in young puppies and kittens. It is a common misunderstanding that your pet doesn't have "worms" if you don't see them in his or her stool. In most cases, you cannot see your pet's intestinal parasites. It is also important to note that when you have a pet in your family, there is the potential risk of zoonotic parasite transmission, which means that a disease or infection may be passed from animals to humans.
Tapeworms are very common in the pet population here in Flagstaff and surrounding communities. Tapeworm infections normally occur when your pet eats fleas, mice, prairie dogs or rats that carry the tapeworm larvae. Tapeworms can cause diarrhea and vomiting in the adult host, as well as mild weight loss and poor hair coat. In puppies, it can result in digestive upset and stunting of growth.
Whipworms cause bloody diarrhea, anemia, dehydration and loss of appetite. Eggs are passed in feces and can survive for years in the soil.
Hookworms are one of the most pathogenic parasites and will attach to the lining of the small intestine. As a result of their blood sucking, hookworms can cause severe anemia and blood loss. Eczema and secondary bacterial infection can result due to irritation as they burrow through the skin. Hookworms can present a health risk to family members if the larvae comes in contact with the skin.
Roundworms are very common in our pet population and are also a human health concern. Roundworms are free-living in the bowel and can stunt growth, cause serious digestive upsets and result in excessive gas formation.
Hookworms and roundworms are zoonotic, which means they can be transmitted to humans. Children typically get these infections through direct contact with infected feces, usually by placing fingers in their mouth during or after playing with their pets or playing in contaminated soil, sand, grass or plants in dog parks or play areas. These infections in humans can cause abdominal pain, skin irritations, neurological problems and loss of vision.
Coccidiosis is a single-celled microscopic protozoa and can only be seen under a microscope. Coccidia invade the intestinal lining of your pet, destroying the tissues and causing abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea.
Giardia is a microscopic single-celled protozoa that can be contracted by both animals and humans by drinking contaminated water from streams and ponds. For your dog, just one lap of contaminated water or a bite of a stick that has been contaminated is all it can take to contract giardia. Pets may also become infected by eating feces of contaminated animals or by licking their paws after walking in an infected area. Giardia typically causes intestinal discomfort and bloody diarrhea.
For more information on parasites and how they can affect your pets and your family visit:
- The Companion Animal Parasite Council at http://www.petsandparasites.org/showflash.html
- The Center for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets