The fall season is finally here! We have also started the last quarter of the year! Who’s ready for some cooler weather and the holiday season?
This Woof column will be devoted to discussing intestinal parasites, a common issue we see with our pets, especially dogs.
There are some common misconceptions many people have about intestinal parasites. One of these misconceptions is that if you don’t see any spaghetti-looking worms in your pet’s stools, then there are no intestinal parasites. This is incorrect!
There are different types of microscopic intestinal parasites that you will never see in the poop and may still be present. In fact, some of them are fairly common here in Texas. In addition, the baby forms of the spaghetti-looking intestinal parasites are microscopic.
Another common misconception is that if a dog or cat lives strictly indoors, they will not acquire any type of parasites. Over the years, I have seen quite a few strictly indoor dogs and cats that have been diagnosed with different kinds of intestinal parasites. Keep in mind that our shoes can bring microscopic intestinal parasites to our homes and expose our furry kids. This is important to know because, unfortunately, we may miss something important if we believe that these indoor babies cannot get parasites.
Now let us discuss some of the specifics of the most common intestinal parasites. Both dogs and cats can get most of these common parasites.
The longer worms that we typically think of when we think of intestinal parasites are usually roundworms or hookworms. These are contracted when your pet ingests microscopic eggs found within stools or in contaminated areas. This happens when our babies step on stool traces that may contain these eggs and then lick their paws. Even if no stools are seen, many of these microscopic eggs can live in the environment for weeks or even months!
Another very common intestinal parasite that we see in Texas is the tapeworm. These are transmitted when a dog or cat ingests a flea that is infected with a microscopic stage of the tapeworm parasite. The adult worm segments will be seen in the stools or around our pet’s anuses. Sometimes you may also catch your pet (especially dogs) scooting (dragging their behind), but this can also be an indication of a different issue.
Tapeworms usually look like grains of rice, but these are segments called proglottids that belong to a much longer worm within the intestines of the dog or cat.
Now some microscopic parasites that your pet could have but you would never see are giardia and coccidia. These are also usually transmitted through exposure to contaminated stools or areas where stools were present, including water sources with giardia. These can be very difficult to get rid of, so prevention and routine testing is very important.
When it comes to diagnosing a dog or cat with intestinal parasites early on, I recommend performing at least the annual physical and fecal exams. If you see any worms on the stools, I recommend taking a picture of the worm or even bringing the worm itself to your hospital so that you can show it to your veterinary healthcare team.
The most common symptom associated with the presence of intestinal parasites is soft stools or diarrhea, even if no worms are seen. But it is important to note that babies with completely normal stools can still have intestinal parasites. And needless to say, soft stools or diarrhea are seen also with many different issues that are unrelated to intestinal parasites.
If you are concerned that your baby may have intestinal parasites, bring a fresh stool sample to your appointment with the doctor so that the healthcare team can process it. Your doctor may also recommend blood work if there is suspicion of a significant amount of parasites present within the intestines and/or stomach, based on physical examination. Other tests may be suggested to rule out other issues not related to the presence of intestinal parasites, but these would be discussed with your doctor.
In order to minimize exposure and transmission of these common intestinal parasites, prevention and environmental control are both key. It is important to always pick up your baby’s stools right after they go to the bathroom to avoid leaving parasites in the environment. Also, if you suspect or know that your baby has intestinal parasites, avoid going to common areas where other animals are to avoid exposing the others to these parasites.
Most of these parasites are usually fairly easily treated, but hygiene at home will be vital, as well as routine follow-ups with your pet’s veterinary team.
It is also very important to note that many of these parasites can be transmitted to humans, so please consult your vet to see what precautions may be needed with certain parasites, or consult your physician if you believe you may have been exposed.
I hope this column was informative for all of you, guys! Enjoy the rest of the fall season and the best holiday in the world! Happy early Halloween and abrazos, Woof readers!!
Dr. Josh owns Isla Veterinary Boutique Hospital at 14380 Marsh Lane, Ste. 110 in Addison (next to Tom Thumb). Call him at 972-738-1111 or visit IslaVet.com.
