Creepy Crawly Worms

Why We’re Obsessed with Your Pet’s Poop

                OK, so no one likes to deal with poop.  It’s messy, it’s smelly, and no one wants to touch it.  Why, then are we always asking people to bring stool samples with them to their pet’s appointments? The truth is, we don’t like handling poop either, but we know that there can be hidden dangers in that poop and it is our job to make sure that people do not become affected with parasites that may be carried by their pets.  What’s worse than poop?  Poop with worms in it.  Ick!

                No doubt about it, worms are gross.  They infest your pet’s intestines leeching nutrients, sometimes leading to poor growth and vomiting or diarrhea, though often there are no symptoms at all.  But they can also affect people, especially children, sometimes with serious consequences.  Last month, of the fecal samples submitted for testing, 9% of dogs and almost 12% of cats at Patton Veterinary Hospital tested positive for some type of intestinal parasite.  That’s a lot of worms!

                The photo posted with this blog is from a television show called The Strain where worms infest people causing a type of vampirism.  Scary, right?  While the poster is graphic and disturbing, it is shockingly not far from the truth.  Roundworms and other parasites can sometimes be accidentally ingested causing real life horrors.  Roundworms can migrate throughout the body’s organs such as the liver or lungs.  Even more frightening, they can end up in the eye causing retinal damage and blindness.  Another parasite, the hookworm, can live in the soil and can migrate through your skin causing an itchy inflamed rash. 

                So, what can you do to prevent these creepy crawlers from affecting your family? 

1.  Clean up the yard or cat box on a regular basis.  The longer stool sits, the longer worm eggs can incubate and become infective. 
2. Have kids (and adults!) wash their hands after cleaning up poop and after playing with pets.  And while puppy kisses can be sweet, it is best not to let your dog lick you in the face.  Worm eggs can be coughed up and could be on your pet’s tongue—eewww!
3. Ask us about parasite control for your pet.  Both dogs and cats can use monthly products like Sentinel and Revolution to prevent worm infestations.  This, in turn, protects your family. 

Parasites can also be spread by improperly cooked food, contaminated soil and other methods.  Always use sanitary food prep methods and avoid walking barefoot in soil if possible.

                Remember, indoor pets are not immune to parasites.  Insects like beetles and crickets can have parasite eggs in or on them and up to 15% of all potting soils have been shown to contain roundworm eggs.  Eating a bug or being exposed to potting soil can spread worms to indoor pets.

So, as yucky as it is, please bring some poop to your next visit.  We’ll be happy to process it to check for those nasty parasites. 

Just don’t play a Halloween trick and leave it in a flaming bag on our front porch!    :)