Intestinal worms can also pose a great health risk to your pets and family. Hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and tapeworms are preventable and easily treatable. Knowing the signs and symptoms for these four common intestinal worms can help you know when to call your veterinarian for a visit. This is one of four blog posts describing the main types of intestinal worms.
Common, general symptoms of intestinal worms can include:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Weight loss
Poor coat appearance
Lethargy
Dehydration
Dark red or blue blood in the stool
Pot-bellied appearance
Description: Most common in puppies and kittens, roundworms are long, white, spaghetti-like worms. Once they make their way into the body, they live inside the intestines and consume the nutrients from your pet’s food before your pet can process it
Dogs or cats? Both
Symptoms: Roundworms can be seen in the poop or vomit. A pot-bellied appearance, poor hair coat, failure to gain weight, abdominal pain, and vomiting and diarrhea are common. Coughing and pneumonia may result from the larvae migrating to the lungs.
How pets get roundworms: Adult dogs and cats commonly get roundworms from coming in contact with poop from another infected dog or eating an infected rodent. Young puppies and kittens are usually born with roundworms, and/or get them through their mother’s milk.
Prevention/Care: Make sure to keep your dog’s usual area clean of poop on a weekly basis, and treat young puppies and kittens for worms with their first vaccinations as early as 6 weeks, or as early as 2 weeks in extreme cases.
Can people get roundworms? Yes, you can see what the CDC says about that here: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxocariasis/gen_info/faqs.html
Pet Vaccination Clinic provides efficient and professional care without losing the personal touch.
Dr. Stan Leland opened Pet Vaccination Clinic on June 1, 1985. Since day one, Dr. Leland has provided compassionate care, taking the time to explain animal care thoroughly to clients so they can champion their pet’s health. The Pet Vaccination Clinic is located at 1010 SW Military Drive in San Antonio, TX and offers multiple services including, but not limited to, vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, deworming, exams, health certificates, and heartworm preventative. Contact us here to make an appointment.