Dogs and cats should be wormed regularly to remove parasitic worms which live in the intestines. These worms can make your pet seriously ill, and some worms also pose serious risks to human health.
Intestinal worms spread easily between animals, so if you have more than one pet the risk of picking up worms increases. However, even pets which live on their own can become heavily infected with worms picked up from their environment.
Breeding bitches and queens need worming more often. Puppies and kittens need regular worming from around 2 weeks of age. Dogs at risk of infection with hydatid tapeworm should be treated with a drug 100 per cent effective against hydatid tapeworm every 6 weeks.
Follow the treatment recommendation on the EXELPET™ product pack and worm all your pets at the same time to maximise protection. Different types of worms complete their lifecycle by different routes, finding their way into the intestine in a variety of ways.
Other things you can do to control worms:
Worms can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the type of infestation. The symptoms may only become apparent when animal is heavily infected, and their intestines are severely damaged. Irritation of the bowel and anus, vomiting and diarrhoea, pot belly, poor growth and a dull coat are common signs of infestation.
The health risks to humans from worms range from mild to extreme and include: damage to internal organs with development of cysts (Hydatid Tapeworm), blindness (Roundworm) and intensely itchy red tracts in the skin (Hookworm). Children are particularly vulnerable because they love to play with pets, may be less diligent about personal hygiene and may also come into contact with pet faeces in sandpits or garden soil.
The important intestinal worms of dogs and cats are Roundworm, Hookworm, Whipworm and Tapeworm. Some are picked up by transmission from the mother during pregnancy or following birth, others by ingestion, skin penetration, flea bites, contact with other animals or even by eating uncooked offal. As pets can be reinfested with worms from other pets or from their surroundings, it is recommended to treat your pets for worms regularly throughout their life.
Roundworms are very common in puppies and kittens, causing a range of gut problems, such as vomiting and diarrhoea, weight loss, poor coat condition and a pot-bellied look. Intestinal obstruction and death can occur in cases of severe infestation. One type of roundworm found in dogs can also be transmitted to humans, especially young children.
Hookworms live on blood sucked from their host and if untreated can be fatal. They can make dogs very sick, causing skin disease, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, anaemia and dehydration. Occasionally, hookworm can infect people.
Whipworms live in the lower bowel and are mainly a problem in adult dogs. They are easy transmitted via eggs that are able to survive for many years in the environment. Whipworms can cause diarrhoea, blood in the stools and gut pain. Long term infestation can lead to weight loss, anaemia and malnutrition.
Tapeworms need an intermediate host to complete their lifecycle, so they don’t spread directly from animal to animal. Although most tapeworms are not serious, they can cause irritation around the bottom and scooting (rubbing the backside along the ground). One type of tapeworm is transmitted by fleas, so it is wise to treat your pet for fleas if you suspect tapeworm infection.
The hydatid tapeworm deserves a special mention as it is a serious health hazard to humans. Dogs become infected with the immature form of this tapeworm by eating untreated (raw or under-cooked) offal (organ meat) from sheep or wildlife. Therefore, hydatid tapeworms are mainly seen in some working dogs in specific farming areas in Australia. Infected dogs can transmit hydatids to humans if a person accidental swallows tapeworm eggs from the dog's coat or their environment. Once infected, humans can become seriously ill as the result of cyst formation in the internal organs.
Hydatid tapeworm control is critical in farm dogs and no dog should be allowed to feed on raw offal from any species
EXELPET™ has worming products for both dogs and cats that are safe, highly effective and are conveniently packaged to make dosing your pet easy. If you’re not sure about which product to use or when to worm your pet ask your vet for advice.
