INTERNAL PARASITES

Intestinal parasites can make your puppy sick, and some can make you sick, too.  There are several different kinds of worms we can see in puppies:  Roundworms, Hookworms, Whipworms, Tapeworms, Coccidia, and Giardia.  We test stool samples by an advanced test called centrifuge zinc sulfate flotation.  It is the most accurate test available for finding intestinal parasites.  We mix feces with zinc sulfate solution and centrifuge the mixture in a tube, with a coverslip on top.  After spinning at high speeds for 5 minutes, we transfer the coverslip to a microscope slide – the parasite eggs and protozoa have floated to the surface and have stuck to the coverslip.  Then we examine the sample under the microscope to look for the tiny eggs and protozoa.

COCCIDIA are microscopic single-celled protozoa parasites.  Infestations can cause diarrhea and sometimes vomiting.  The parasite comes from contaminated ground.  Medication to treat coccidia is called a “coccidiostat,” meaning it does not kill the parasite, but keeps it from multiplying.  Your dog’s own immune system may then clear the infestation, and multiple treatments may be needed.  Coccidia do not affect humans.

ROUNDWORMS have several species that affect our pets, but they are all treated with the same medications.  Adult worms are about 7 inches long and can be seen in the stool; eggs are microscopic and can be seen in the stool when the adults are not visible.  Pets can show signs of roundworms by vomiting, diarrhea, malnutrition, and cough, and larvae can encyst in the liver, uterus, and mammary glands.  Encysted larvae become active when the pet becomes pregnant, and then are passed to the offspring through the placenta or nursing.  Pets can also become infested from contaminated soil.  Most pets carry the parasite and all pups and kittens will be dewormed at least twice.  Roundworms may also cause visceral larval migrans (VLM) in humans, where the larvae migrate through the body, causing damage to organs like the liver, and may cause blindness.

HOOKWORM adults attach to the intestinal wall and suck blood.  The adults are not seen in the stool; only the eggs are visible by microscope.  Larvae may be picked up by the pet walking through contaminated soil – the larvae actually penetrate your pet’s footpads and then migrate to the intestines. They also can encyst and become activated during pregnancy and nursing.  Signs of infestation include anemia, weakness, malnutrition, and diarrhea.  Treatment, with at least two dewormings, kills the adult worms, but not immature or encysted larvae.  In humans, hookworms cause cutaneous larval migrans (CLM), where the larvae migrate under the skin.

WHIPWORM adults are about one-half inch long and are rarely visible in the stool.  They are “whip”-shaped and live in the caecum.  Their eggs are visible by microscope.  Whipworms are picked up by the dog from contaminated soil; they are the most common intestinal parasites of adult dogs in this area.  They can cause intermittent diarrhea, sometimes bloody.  Deworming for whipworms is done with special medication, and needs to be repeated several times for monthly treatments.  This worm does not affect humans.

TAPEWORMS in this are of the country are most commonly passed to our pets by them eating an infested FLEA.  We recommend deworming of only pets which are infested; it is not necessary to deworm all the pets in the household.  In dogs, we use an injectable deworming.  The key to preventing a tapeworm infestation is flea control.

GIARDIA is a microscopic protozoa parasite.  It causes mainly intermittent diarrhea, sometimes bloody, and occasionally vomiting.  The parasite is ingested form contaminated water.  Treatment for Giardia is done with Panacur or metronidazole.  Giardia is potentially able to pass from pets to humans.  Washing hands after cleaning up stool is recommended; bathing the pet is also recommended, as the parasite may cling to the fur near the bottom and the pet may reinfest itself.