The Wonderful World of Worms....     

Internal parasites are common problems for household pets.  However, few people realize how many types of parasites can infect their animals.  Signs of parasites can include failure to gain weight, poor hair coat, and diarrhea.  There are many animals, however, that will appear normal yet harbor parasites.  We commonly can see most tapeworms in dogs and cats as small white worms the size of a grain of rice. Roundworms may look like strands ofr spaghetti.  Other types of worms are not so visible.  They live in various parts of the intestinal tract and only their eggs may be shed in the stool.  Your veterinarian looks directly under the microscope to find these, or runs sophisticated tests on the stool to look for other evidence of parasite infection.  Sometimes the eggs are not found with a single stool sample–multiple exams may be needed to discover parasites.  Accurate diagnosis of the type of parasites an animal has will allow your veterinarian to prescribe the appropriate type of treatment to rid an animal of these pests.  It is important to have any new pet checked for parasites that could be detrimental to an animal's health.  Even birds, reptiles, rabbits and some rodents can harbor intestinal parasites and should be checked annually.

Parasites can infect people, too, with children being at most risk.   Discuss strategic deworming of your pets to optimize their health AND prevent infection in others.