You are bringing your pet in to the veterinarian for their annual exam and vaccinations.  The technician escorts you and your pet into an exam room, asks you how they have been doing, and takes a temperature, pulse and respiration.  Before leaving, they take a blood and stool sample.  Do you know what we look for in the blood and stool tests?

The Blood Test: One of the most dangerous worms to the dog, cat AND ferret's health is the heartworm.  The heartworm "baby" is carried by the mosquito, and is transmitted easily into the unsuspecting host with a single feeding.  Unfortunately, no pet is safe from this worm, even if they are always indoors.  Mosquitoes are commonly found inside if a door is opened or a window is opened with an imperfect screen (I saw a mosquito inside a cabin in the mountains even when there was snow on the ground!).  The baby heartworm travels through the body and ends up lodged in the heart (most commonly for dogs) and the blood vessels of the lungs (most commonly for cats).  This infection becomes life threatening for the animal.  Treatment is available for ferrets and dogs, but it can be risky.  At this time, no treatment exists for the cat.  Ideally, dogs, cats and ferrets are on a preventative such that they never develop an infection.  Pets should be started on heartworm prevention as soon as possible- preferably at their 6 week check-up.

The Fecal Test: There are numerous worms that can be found in the stool.  This discussion will cover the most common parasites.

1. Whipworms:  Once infected with this worm, your pet can shed numerous eggs into their environment.  Those eggs can "live" in the environment for up to 8 years.  So, once your pet is diagnosed with this worm, they need to be on a monthly preventative for life.  Three of the four heartworm preventatives we carry will control whipworms.

2. Roundworms:  All dogs and cats are born with this worm.  How is that so?  The dam was infected by her mother, and both were treated with a dewormer to kill these worms.  That is all well and good, but the worms that were killed lived in the intestines.  Some of the worms burrowed through the intestines and took up residence in other tissues and then formed a cyst in the tissue.  Those roundworms hibernating in the cysts are not touched by the dewormer.  When the dam becomes stressed (i.e.- thunderstorms, giving birth, etc.), baby roundworms hatch out.  The larvae are transmitted to the young through the placenta and in the mother's milk.  This is the reason why we like to deworm all our new young patients.

Unfortunately, roundworms can cause problems in humans too.  As a matter of fact, this is the most likely worm our furry friends carry that can infect us.  Pets can roll on the ground and pick up roundworm eggs in the environment on their coats, or they can lick their rear end and get the eggs in their mouth.  Anyone can pick up an egg on their hands by rubbing on their pet or playing with their mouth, not to mention allowing their dog to lick them on their face.  Once the eggs are swallowed, these eggs hatch in the human host and migrate throughout the body.  Many will form a cyst like they can in the dog and cat, but these cysts cause significant problems.  Up to 700 children a year lose an eye due to roundworm migration into their eye.  Other organs can be infected, including the brain.  Always wash your hands thoroughly before putting your hands close to your mouth to prevent an infection with roundworms.

3. Hookworms:  This is a common parasite in both dogs and cats, and it can cause serious problems.  The most common problem is anemia, as these worms have a large appetite for blood.  Puppies and kittens are the frequently affected.  The staff at Hoschton Animal Hospital has had to treat some of these patients with blood transfusions, not to mention dewormers.  This worm is controlled by all monthly heartworm with intestinal parasite preventions we offer at our hospital.

The hookworm is another worm that is contagious to humans, but it is transmitted in a different way.  Between 1 and 3 million people are infected with hookworms every year.  The most common mode of transmission is burrowing through the skin of bare feet.  Be careful to always wear shoes where cats and dogs defecate, including your yard and even the beach.  Once the worm gets through the skin, it usually causes an extremely itchy tract and not much more.  In rare instances, muscles and even the lungs can be affected.

4.  Tapeworms:  These worms are typically more of a nuisance than a medical problem.  Typically, they steal the nutrients of their host as they live in the intestinal tract.  Dogs and cats get these worms by eating a flea that is infected with a baby tapeworm (larva).  Diagnosis is made by identifying a rice-sized worm segment is seen moving around near the anus or on the stool.  A single dose of a dewormer kills the worm, but pets with a flea infestation may re-infest themselves.  Flea control is key in controlling tapeworms.

Can tapeworms cause problems in humans too?  Of course, but they are not directly from your pet.  An infected flea needs to be ingested for the transmission to occur.  An infestation usually occurs in young children, as they put "everything" in their mouth.  Again, the best prevention is flea control on your pet.

5. Coccidia:  The last and least of the common intestinal parasites.  Truth be told, this is not a worm, but a protozoa.  It is a single celled organism that lives in the intestinal tract.  Puppies and kittens are the poster children for this parasite.  Blood tinged diarrhea is the common presenting sign, and it can become devastating if not treated.  Treatment includes a 10 day dose of a specific dewormer which can taste like butterscotch.  Just don't put it on your ice cream.

Take Home Message:  Bring your pet in every 6-12 months for an intestinal parasite screen and every 12 months for a heartworm test.  Keep your pet on monthly heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention year round.  Always wash your hands before putting your hands to your mouth, and make sure you protect your feet when walking around outside.  Finally, keep your yard free of fecal material as often as possible to reduce your chances of contracting these parasites.

For additional information about these and other parasites, please visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council on the internet.

Mandy Roberts, DVM