ROUNDWORM
Worms are common everywhere in the world. They live in and around the best of families.
Worms are frequent parasites of dogs and cats. Different worms inhabit different organs such as
skin, lungs, heart, liver, and so on. Many species of worms inhabit the digestive tract of pets.
Roundworms and tapeworms (flatworms) are far and away the most common intestinal parasites.
These worms can cause a variety of problems including diarrhea, poor coat, and general failure to
thrive.
Most dog owners are surprised when told that their puppy probably became infested with
roundworms when still a fetus. Indeed, the most common source of puppy roundworms are
roundworm larvae (immature roundworms) which are resting and causing no trouble in the wall
of the mother dog's womb. These little larvae migrate into the fetal pups precisely on the 42nd
day of pregnancy. The larvae then mature in the young pup and start laying eggs when the
puppy is about three weeks of age. From that time on, the affected pup's feces contain eggs
and can transmit roundworms to other dogs and even back to itself.
Roundworms are not only contagious for other pets, but also for humans, especially children via
the feces-fingers-mouth cycle. The migrating larvae in children can cause serious and tragic
disease especially of the eye and brain. All puppies should be repeatedly de-wormed starting at
three weeks of age - before the roundworms are mature enough to lay eggs and contaminate
the environment with more roundworms. But inasmuch as most people don't acquire their puppy
until it is 8-10 weeks old, the deworming process usually doesn't begin until that time.
Roundworms lay microscopic-sized eggs which are passed in the affected animal's feces. Diagnosis
depends upon examining a sample of fresh feces under a microscope. Rarely, a puppy or kitten
will vomit or pass in his stool an entire adult roundworm. It is approximately 2" - 10" long, white,
and may look like a piece of spaghetti. And while adult roundworms mainly infest only puppies
and kittens, mature dogs and cats may occasionally harbor the parasite in their intestine. Typical
signs of infestation are diarrhea, poor hair coat, and, in young puppies and kittens, pot-bellied
appearance and poor growth. Severe infestation can lead to liver, lung, and brain damage.
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