Intestinal Parasite Control

Most worm infestations and microscopic pararsite infectionscause any or all of these symptoms:
 - Diarrhea, perhaps with blood
 - Weight loss
 - Dry hair
 - General poor appearance
 - Vomiting, perhaps with worms in the vomit 

However, some infestations cause few or no symptoms, at least for a time.  In fact, some worm eggs or larvae can be dormant in the dog's body and activated only in times of stress, or in the case of roundworms and hookworms, in the later stages of pregnancy, when they activate and infest the soon-to-be-born puppies and kittens.

Statistics show that one in three dogs will be infected at some time with intestinal parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms.

Roundworms are the most commonly seen intestinal parasite. These are the "spaghetti" looking worms that are the most commonly seen.  Puppies and kittens are often born with them and can be treated as early as three to six weeks of age. In puppies, the larvae penetrate the small intestine and then enter the bloodstream to arrive at the liver and lungs.  Sometimes, they will even travel up the trachea where they can be coughed up, swallowed then pass back to the intestines where they mature and reproduce. These worms can also migrate to the muscles where they form cysts and lie dormant. If the dog becomes pregnant, the worms can migrate to the lungs of the developing puppies as well as into the mothers milk.

Hookworms actually attach themselves to the dog's or cat's intestinal wall. When untreated, they can cause intestinal bleeding, bloody diarrhea, anemia and even death, especially in puppies. Generally not visible in the stool to the naked eye.

Whipworms are often the hardest to cure in dogs because of the prolific nature of the female worm. One female can produce in excess of 2,000 eggs a day, these eggs are passed in the dogs feces and can survive in the soil for years regardless of the cold or heat of a given region. Also, not seen with the naked eye.

Tapeworms occur when a dog (or cat) bites and swallows fleas.  Cats and dogs can become infested with tapeworms also from eating wild game such as rabbits and mice.  Tapeworms are made up of many flat segments that resemble moving grains of rice, when broken into segments. They are the most common worms seen by the owner when cleaning up the feces of their dog.  Sometimes the tapeworm segments cling to the hair of cats and dogs or are found in the bedding.

Heartworms are exactly what the name implies. They are the most serious and deadly parasite to attack an adult dog. These worms are carried by mosquitoes and transmitted when the dog is bitten. Lodging in the heart, the sheer number and size of the worms restrict blood flow and cause damage to other internal organs. Without treatment, heartworms will cause chronic illness, heart problems and ultimately can cause death. 

At OPVMC we recommend that a fecal examination be performed at least annually if your pet is not having any gastrointestinal signs.  Should diarrhea or vomiting, occur we may recommend a fecal as part of the diagnostic work-up to rule out an internal parasite problem.  Internal worm and microorganism infection can be diagnosed utilizing a fecal examination to identify the specific parasite.  The veterinarian will then prescribe medication to treat and eliminate the infection as well as medication to treat nausea and diarrhea, if needed.  Specific medications treat specific parasites, so it is imperative to identify the culprit before treatment. 

Heartworm treatment requires hospitlaization and specific medications and can be a risky treatment.  It is much better to prevent heartowrm in the first place.  At OPVMC, we carry all types and brands of prescirption medication to protect and prevent your dog or cat from heartworm that will be discussed with you and prescribed based on your pet's lifestyle.  We tailor our patient's heartworm preventative to the lifestyle of the pet and owner as not all pets need the same protection level from heartworm. See our Standards of Care for more information concerning heartowrm prevention.

Our on-site pharmacy carries most brands and types of anthelmetics (worm medications) and we can prescribe one that is just right for your pet.  There are also medications to treat and prevent internal parasite infections combined with heartworm preventative and flea treatments for an easily adminstered once-monthly treatment regimen of all the parasite problems your pet may have or be exposed to.