Worming your Pet

The worming of your pets throughout their lives is extremely important. This is not only to protect their health, but more importantly it is to protect our health. Many of the species of worm that infect our pets can infect humans too. Indeed some of these species can cause more severe disease in people than in our furry friends.

Roundworms
In the UK, about 2-3% of people are believed to be infected with roundworm at some stage in their lives. However, most of these will remain unaware that they've been exposed to the parasite, as infection is often symptom less, or causes nothing worse than a stomach ache.
The chance of serious human harm from roundworm infection is remote but there are 12 cases a year in the UK of eye damage and blindness as a result of roundworm infection. This is caused when the roundworm larvae migrate into the back of the eye. Although the risk is small, the consequences are severe.

Tapeworms
The most serious risk to human health comes from the tapeworms Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. Thankfully at present E. granulosus is only found in Central Wales and the Hebrides, whist E. multilocularis is not thought to be a risk in the UK, despite being common in Europe. Infection can cause cysts which can occur in a variety of places in the body and require surgical removal. They often occur in the liver and result in liver failure.

A more common tapeworm Dipylidium caninum is spread by fleas. Although a dog tapeworm, it is also the commonest tapeworm found in children. There are often no symptoms although it can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, anal irritation and itchiness.

It is important to remember that dogs with both roundworm and tapeworm infestations are often show no outward signs. However they still pose an infection risk. This is the reason regular worming is so important. If you see worms in a dog’s faeces then this is a sign of a severe worm burden, whereas scooting along the floor is not a sign of worm infestation, but more likely indicates full anal glands that may need emptying by the vet.

Worming your cat with a worm pill can sometimes be a bit of a struggle, but there is a spot-on wormer that treats all the same worms. If you would like further information, please ask at reception.