Types of Worms

The deadliest of all canine parasites.
All dogs are at risk as mosquitoes spread heartworms.
Humans are also at risk, though infection is extremely rare.
Symptoms of heartworm infection in dogs include coughing, shortness of breath, fainting, listlessness, weight loss and loss of appetite. There may also be swelling of the abdomen, abnormal heart and lung sounds, liver enlargement or blood-tinged sputum. Advanced stages can be fatal.
Cats can also be affected and symptoms may include asthma-like symptoms, lethargy, loss of appetite and weight loss, vomiting and diarrhoea, or sudden death in apparently healthy animals.

Dogs and cats are at risk from these parasites that attach themselves to the wall of the small intestine.
Infection usually occurs after ingesting flea larvae.
Tapeworms (Echinococcus) do little harm to dogs and cats, but can cause a severe infection – alveolar disease – in humans.
A common symptom is white segments on the animal or in the stool. In rare cases, if present in large numbers, tapeworms can cause weight loss and debilitation. Sometimes, more often in dogs, the animal will scoot or drag its bottom across the ground or carpet, due to anal irritation caused by the segments.

Virtually every puppy is born with roundworms or can become infected while nursing.
Children playing in contaminated soil or sand can become infected with roundworms if they place their dirty fingers in their mouths.
Roundworm eggs can hatch in a child’s stomach, causing damage to the abdominal organs and blindness in extreme cases.
Roundworms cause diarrhoea and vomiting in young cats and dogs. They can also cause weight loss, a pot-bellied appearance, loss of vitality and lethargy. Severe infection can lead to pneumonia and obstruction of the intestine.

Hookworm larvae can penetrate human skin.
Children are often infected by walking barefoot in contaminated soil or putting contaminated dirt in their mouth.
In humans, hookworms can cause lesions where they penetrate the skin, intestinal bleeding, anaemia, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Most common in young and occasionally adult animals, hookworms can cause anaemia if present in large numbers. Other symptoms include intestinal distress, pale gums, bloody diarrhoea, weight loss and in some cases stunted growth, digested blood in the stool and a poorly conditioned coat.

Eggs can survive in soil for years, even in cold climates.
Humans can become infected after ingesting infected dog faeces, soil or grass, though transmission is rare.
The signs of infection vary with the number of worms in the intestine. Small numbers don’t cause symptoms. Larger numbers can inflame the intestinal wall, producing high amounts of mucous. Sometimes haemorrhage into the intestine occurs and anaemia can result. Dogs may strain to defecate or develop diarrhoea, weight loss, dehydration and loss of appetite.