THE BALWYN VETERINARY SURGERY

There are a number of categories of parasites that can affect your cat or dog, the most important are intestinal worms, heartworm and fleas.

Intestinal Worms:

Puppies and kittens are particularly susceptible to the effects of intestinal worms, and if not adequately treated, these parasites can cause a range of detrimental health effects.These may include weight loss, vomiting, diarrhoea and even anaemia (blood loss). Occasionally very severe worm burdens can even prove fatal to young animals.

There are a number of different types of intestinal worms that vary in size and appearance.

The most common forms of intestinal worms in cats and dogs are:

• Hookworm
• Whipworm
• Tapeworm
• Roundworm

To prevent intestinal worms in puppies and kittens we recommend worming every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then once monthly until 6 months of age. Thereafter adult dogs and cats should be wormed at least every 3 months for the rest of their life.

It is very important to maintain a disciplined worming routine for your pets to reduce the likelihood of infection and reduce environmental contamination. A number of products are available to treat against intestinal worms. These include tablets, pastes and spot-ons (liquid).