Frequently Asked Questions:

Last Updated on December 18, 2009

Question: Where did my pet get a parasite


Answer: Parasites can come from many different places. Tapeworms come from fleas and, even as few as one flea can transmit tapeworms to your pet. If your pet grooms a flea from itself or eats an animal with fleas, they can be infested with tapeworms. Tapeworm segments look like a grain of rice when expelled from your pet’s rear end and can stick to the fur or bedding. Hookworms and Roundworms are often transmitted through wildlife in your yard, from mother to baby, or from stray animals wandering your neighborhood. These parasites can cause symptoms ranging from nothing, in an adult dog, to diarrhea, to death. They also can be VERY dangerous if transmitted to you or your family. On occasion, you will see adult worms in the stool or vomit of your pet; however, they are most often detected by the microscopic eggs we find in their stool sample. Whipworms are another parasite transmitted through wildlife and are extremely hard to eliminate in your environment once they are present. Coccidia and Giardia are two microscopic parasites that cause diarrhea and occasionally blood in the stool. Both of these parasites can be difficult to find but are everywhere in the environment. So, something as simple as a run outside to go potty, with a gulp out of that puddle that’s always there in your backyard, can lead to an infestation of intestinal parasites.



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