Beaphar

worms

Internal parasites: worms
A pet’s owner can sometimes be shocked when their animal turns out to have parasites. The presence of a few fleas, or worse, a tapeworm segment, in an otherwise clean household can be a cause of consternation. Even if a pet owner looks after their pet’s hygiene well, worm infections can still occur. Pet owners might spot one cm long “maggots” or things resembling rice grains in their pet’s faeces. These are little parts of a tapeworm that have come off inside the pet. Roundworms also frequently pay a “visit” to pets, and can be seen in vomit or faeces, resembling a long, thin white, yellow or red string. Worms can cause problems for both man and animal. Beaphar has developed modern medicines, however, that are very effective: with the proper amount of care and attention, worms do not have to be a problem.

Which worms are dangerous to your pet?
Roundworms
Roundworms look like very thin earth worms (or thin spaghetti or rubber bands). Their colour varies from white to pink-brown, depending on your pet’s diet.

A roundworm’s lifecycle is quite simple: they are transmitted directly from cat to cat. Mature worms can be found in the stomach and small intestine, where they feed on partially digested food. Fully-grown roundworms will start to pass thousands of little eggs, invisible to the naked eye. These eggs are excreted along with the cat’s faeces. They have sticky shells, which adhere to the fur of a passing cat and are swallowed again when the cat is cleaning its fur. Swallowed eggs will end up in the stomach where they develop into microscopically small larvae. In adult cats, the larvae will move into the cat’s blood circulatory system and be carried to the muscle tissue, where they become trapped in tiny cysts. They will hardly do any damage here. However, in kittens or pregnant cats, the larvae will move first to the liver and then to the lungs, from where they are coughed up and swallowed again, maturing in the stomach and completing the cycle.

Tapeworms
Tapeworms are more often encountered in adult cats than kittens because of the way they are transmitted. The most common cat tapeworm is spread mainly by fleas (the intermediate host). Kittens are not as adept at cleaning fleas from their coats, and mother will swallow fleas when cleaning her kittens. This would also explain why cats may also suffer from tapeworms more often than dogs. Cats are more adept at catching fleas with their smaller incisor teeth than dogs.

A tapeworm consists of a series of independent segments that are connected in a similar way to train coaches, ending with a sharp hook, the “head” that latches onto the intestinal wall. A tapeworm can grow to more than 3ft. in size, and it is quite possible for several tapeworms to establish themselves in a single cat.
Tapeworms never spread directly from one cat to another, but through a so-called intermediate host. This can be a mouse or a rabbit for one type of worm, but in cities, fleas are the main culprit. When the matured segments are excreted by the cat, they contain thousands of microscopically small eggs. The segments dry up and crack, releasing the eggs. These are scattered around in the environment, eventually being eaten by intermediate hosts. The eggs hatch in the intermediate host, form new larvae, and when the mouse or flea is eaten by the cat, the cycle is completed. The larvae develop into new tapeworms in the intestines of the host; your cat.

What can you do?
People, too, can become infected. Roundworm eggs can be found in places where dogs and cats defecate: public parks and gardens, verges, gardens and sandboxes. Because these are places where children can often be found playing, they run a very real risk of being infected.
In most cases, nothing will happen. The worm larvae will make their way through the body, causing little pockets of infection that are removed by the body’s defence system. Sometimes, however, medical complaints might develop, such as lung or liver conditions. Very rarely, eye disorders may occur.

What can you do for your cat?
To minimize the risk of contamination, it is important that all pet owners worm their pets two to four times a year. Nursing cats and young animals (kittens) should be wormed more often than adult cats. Fleas can also transfer worms to your cat, so it is important to worm your cat after it has suffered a flea infection.

How can you see if your cat is infected?
In many cases, the infection is not visible. Tapeworm segments are sometimes visible in your pet’s faeces and around its anus (in the shape of “rice grains”). Roundworms and hookworms are harder to spot. Cats with worms often show the following signs of infection: decreased appetite, weight loss, lifelessness, a dull coat, etc...However, an infected cat may show no symptoms whatsoever.

What damage can worms do?
Worms will make your cat ill because they affect its organs and tissues. In addition, a worm infection may cause intestinal problems, weight loss and anaemia. Some roundworms and tapeworms can be transferred to and are harmful to humans.

How can you prevent or counter worms?
• Regularly worming of your pet is very important. The complete range of Sherley’s worming products offers various ways of dealing with worms. See the table below for available products.
• Attention to hygiene, cleaning up after dogs and cats. Wash your hands after gardening and/or playing outside, and cover sandboxes.
• Fleas can transmit tapeworms. Worm your pet after every flea infection.

How often do I need to worm my cat?
• Adult animals: preferably four times a year, but at least twice a year.
• Nursing animals: worm at the same time as the kittens.