PARASITES



You may already know or have heard that worms often infect puppies and kittens as well as older pets. They are known as interanl parasites. They live and grow inside the intestine of your pet.

Most pets show no sign of infection. However, some do. Signs may include vomiting, loss of appetite, or severe weight loss. Heavy infections in young puppies and kittens may be fatal.






Roundworms  or Ascaris is a worm that lives in the small intestine. Infection with Ascaris is called ascariasis (ass-kuh-rye-uh-sis). Adult female worms can grow over 12 inches in length, adult males are smaller.
 



Hookworms are an intestinal parasite of dogs that usually causes mild diarrhea or cramps. Heavy infection with hookworm can create serious health problems for puppies and older pets or pets that are malnourished. You can become infected by direct contact with contaminated soil, generally through walking barefoot, or accidentally swallowing contaminated soil.





Whipworms are worms that reside in the colon. The life span of the adults is about 1 year.






Tapeworms are flat worms that are segmented. They consist of a head, neck, and then a number of segments. The head usually has suckers or muscular grooves that enable the tapeworm to attach itself to the animal's intestine.