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How do I know if my pet has worms and what are the signs?
You will not always see signs of worms. Some symptoms will be diarrhea, blood in the stool, weight loss, pot-belly appearance, lack of appetite, loss of energy, pale gums, and vomiting.
How did my pet get worms?
Many types of worms can be transferred from mother to puppy/kitten through the milk and possibly before birth. Pets can pick up worms from the ground and grass where other infected dogs or cats have had a bowel movement. Ingestion of a flea or rabbit intestines can cause tapeworms. Also, eating another pet's stool can result in some types of worms.
Why do you need to do a fecal exam if I can't see any worms?
Not all worms are visible to the naked eye. We pick up the worm eggs on microscopic exam. See pictures of Tapeworms and Roundworms.
What are heartworms?
Heartworms are worms that live in the heart and major vessels to the lungs. The heartworms are transmitted by the mosquito. Symptoms include coughing, lack of appetite and decreased energy. Pets may not show symptoms. This hospital recommends annual testing for the presence of heartworms. If the test result is negative, we recommend that the pet be put on heartworm prevention year round.
I wasn't able to give my dog his heartworm pills, what do I do?
You would have to check with the doctor, the answer will depend on what type of heartworm prevention that is currently being used, how long it has been since the last tablet was given an the date of the annual test. One solution to prevent forgetfulness of heartworm prevention may be the six month injection ProHeart.
Why does my dog need heartworm check if he's on a prevention all year?
The pet may have spit up a pill when the owner wasn't looking. The pet may have had a stomach or intestinal upset and the pill may have not been digested properly to get full protection.
I'm pregnant and own a cat. Isn't there some type of disease I can get called toxoplasmosis?
Yes, toxoplasmosis is a disease that can be transmitted to humans and may cause birth defects. This is most important during the first trimester. Precautions to take: do not allow pregnant individual to clean the litter box. Empty the litter box every day and do not garden without gloves. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted through contact with the stool. If it is a big problem or concern, there are blood tests available for the pet as well as the pregnant mother to test for this disease.
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