Parasites in cats
1) Intestinal Round worms
Cats get worms just like dogs and people. And the types of worms they get resemble the ones most other animals get tapeworms and round worms being the most common. Kittens are very prone to worms until six months of age, therefore it is important to have a routine for worming your cat.
Figs. 1&2. Toxocara cati adult worms and eggs
From 2 wks to 12 weeks of age - worm every 2 weeks
From 12 weeks to 6 months of age - worm every month
From 6 mths of age onwards - worm every 3 months
We recommend the use of Revolution
2. Intestinal tapeworms
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Tapeworms are a common problem in cats that are not flea and worm treated on a regular basis. Tapeworms (cestodes), are common parasites of the small intestine of cats an dogs; they are flat and can measure from a few millimetres (Echinococcus) up to 2.5 metres (Taenia hydatigena) in length. They attach to the gut’s wall of the cat and live of the gut’s content, which is absorbed, through their integument (“skin”).
How Tapeworms are Transmitted
Adult tapeworms live in the intestine of dogs and produce eggs, which are shed in the environment through the cat’s faeces. These eggs contain a first stage larva and, when eaten by an intermediate host, for example a small mammal such as a mouse for Taenia and Echinococcus multilocularis or an arthropod (flea or lice) for Dipylidium caninum, the development proceeds up to the formation of the second larval stage. These larvae are infective for the cat and, when this ingests the intermediate host or its tissues, they attach to the wall of the intestine and become adults within a few weeks.
Disease
Adult tapeworms are aesthetically unpleasant but cause little harm in cats, although severe infections may cause intestinal damage due to the physical presence of the worms.
Treating Tapeworm Infection
A few anthelmintic products are marketed for the treatment and control of all the most important cat cestode infections. A few of them are also effective against all other common cat worms thus ensuring a complete protection of your pet and you.
Be sure to give to your pet the one that best satisfies its and your needs, in terms of ease of use, efficacy and safety (especially if young kittens are to be treated).
The most common tapeworm in cats in the flea tapeworm Dipylidium canis. Cats get this tapeworm by ingesting fleas. Inside the flea are tapeworm eggs which hatch when the cat swallows the flea. The good news is that in controlling fleas on your cat, you also control the flea tapeworm.
3. Intestinal hookworms
Hookworms have a direct life cycle meaning that they do not necessarily need a host to be transmitted. In pets, hookworm ova (egg) are passed in the host's faeces and develop to the first larval stage if the temperature and humidity are adequate. Ova can hatch in 10-12 hours at 30 degrees centigrade and in 9 hours at 37 degrees centigrade. Infection can occur via ingestion or skin penetration (commonly infested thru the feet) followed by a pulmonary migration, a developmental stage in the gastric glands, or an arrested state in the muscular tissue in older animals. Migration and maturation occur in 17 days. Transport hosts, especially rodents, may play a role in the transmission of this parasite.
Clinical signs may be one or more of the following:
1. Intestinal blood loss causing anaemia
2. Bloody diarrhoea
3. Weight loss
4. Poor hair coat
Young dogs and cats are affected more severely, since they are less able to cope with depleted iron reserves.
Hookworms are diagnosed by faecal flotation (Veterinarian). The ova are unembryonated and must be taken from a fresh specimen since they hatch rapidly in warm weather. Therefore, unless you are going to the veterinarian quickly it is best to refrigerate stool samples or better yet have the vet extract the stool sample at their office. Your pet may not like that idea but it will yield the more accurate result.
There are many de-wormers available over-the-counter but they contain medications that are designed to "flush out" the parasite. But as the name implies, Hookworms hook onto the intestinal wall and "do not come off without a fight". Many pets experience mild to severe distress because of these de-wormers. These de-wormers were used by veterinarians decades ago, but veterinary medicine has come a long way since then.
Today, many anthelmintics are effective against hookworms in both dogs and cats. An aggressive treatment and prevention program as defined by your veterinarian normally entails two initial treatments 2 weeks
apart (killing the hatched eggs and before they can hatch again and reproduce administering a second dose), plus an aggressive preventive program. Since the medication can only kill
what is in the system monthly checkups for 3-4 months are needed until a pattern of negative tests results are established. Because of the life-cycle of the hookworm, monthly combo preventative can help control but not usually eliminate the problem.
Also, it is extremely important to thoroughly clean and disinfect the affected areas. If this is not feasible walk your pet in a different area and if possible away from where other pets go. ALWAYS, pick up after your pet goes to the bathroom to minimize the chance of reinfection.
The most important aspect of hookworms is that they could pose a health hazard to humans. Especially if you have children, it is imperative to keep on top of the situation and have your pet regularly tested. In humans, hookworms causes cutaneous larval migrans. The parasite can penetrate human skin and cause a linear,
tortuous, erythematous, and pruritic
dermatitis (kids are more susceptible). Therefore, if you own a pet good hygiene, prevention and management of stool area should be #1 on your list.