OTHER WORMS

A large number of puppies and kittens are born with microscopically small roundworm larvae in their tissues. The larvae migrate through the mother's tissues directly into the developing pup or kitten in the mother's uterus. The worm larvae can also be transferred via the mother’s milk to the nursing pup or kitten. The larvae travel to the intestinal tract where they can grow up to five inches in length. Once there, they begin shedding eggs and cling tightly in the small intestine of the pup or kitten. If an egg-bearing stool is eaten, the eggs that the adult worms pass in the stool can reinfest the same pup or kitten or other dogs and cats. When the worm eggs hatch, the larvae are released internally to migrate to the animal's lungs where the larvae are eventually coughed up, swallowed, and ultimately grow to adulthood in the small intestine. Repeated exposures to egg-bearing stool or stool-contaminated soil can cause a substantial increase in the number of parasites to a dog or cat's waste. However, if the mother has no intestinal parasites and no encysted larvae in her tissues, then the pups or kittens will be born worm-free.

When roundworms are active in the intestines of puppies and kittens, they can cause a pot-bellied appearance and poor growth. The worms may be seen in vomit or stool and a severe infestation can cause death by intestinal blockage. Females can produce two hundred thousand eggs in a day. These eggs are protected by a hard shell and can exist in the soil for years.

Roundworms can also infest adult dogs and cats. However, as mentioned above, the larvae can remain dormant for periods of time, and only become active during the last stages of pregnancy to infest the puppies and kittens. Worming the mother won’t affect the encysted larvae in the body tissues and will not prevent the worms from infecting the newborn. Virtually all wormers work only on the adult parasites located in the intestinal tract.

Hookworms are much more common in dogs than in cats. Hookworms are very small, thin worms that cling to the wall of the small intestine and suck blood. Dogs get hookworms in any one of three ways: from larval migration in the uterus, from contact with the larvae in stool-contaminated soil, or from ingesting the eggs after birth. The hookworm larvae can also be transferred to the nursing pup from the mother's milk, similar to roundworms.

A severe hookworm infestation can kill puppies. Hookworms often make them severely anemic from the loss of blood. Chronic hookworm infestation is a common cause of degeneration in older dogs as it leads to poor feed efficiency and weight maintenance, and having poor stamina. Common symptoms include bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and progressive weakness. Diagnosis is achieved by examining the feces for eggs under a microscope.

Whipworms are often more prevalent in dogs than cats. Adult whipworms, although not often seen in the stool, appear as tiny pieces of thread with one end enlarged. They live in the cecum, the first section of the dog's large intestine. Infestations are usually difficult to identify since the whipworms shed comparatively few eggs. An examination of even several stool samples may not reveal the presence of whipworms. If a dog demonstrates chronic weight loss and passes stool that seems to have a covering of mucous (especially the last portion of stool), or lives in a kennel situation or an area where whipworms are prevalent, the veterinarian may prescribe a whipworm medication based upon circumstantial evidence. Repeat wormings may be required; especially if there is a risk that the dog will become reinfested. Although they seldom result in a dog's death, whipworms are a persistent source of discomfort for the dog and can be a challenge for the veterinarian to diagnose.