pet care topics

Gastrointestinal parasites
You cannot see them but they are there! Pet owners often do not appreciate the extent of parasite infections (such as roundworms, hookworms, and coccidia) in our dog and cat community. And most pet owners do not know that their pets may carry intestinal worms capable of infecting people. Parasite detection, prevention, and treatment are critical to the overall health and well-being of your pet.

Nearly all puppies and kittens are already infected with roundworm when still in the uterus, or get the infection immediately after birth, while nursing. In addition, pets of all ages are repeatedly exposed to parasites through contact with contaminated soil (or by directly ingesting fecal matter) that contain infective worm eggs or larvae. Some of these parasites are potentially very dangerous to your pet and people. Roundworm infections in humans can result in diseases known as larval migrans syndromes where parasites migrate through organs in the body such as the liver and eyes resulting in severe debilitation or blindness. Thankfully, intestinal parasites can be prevented or controlled.

We recommend that every pet have at least one fecal float performed annually as part of an overall health evaluation.