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Pet Care Advice > Worm Control
Nearly all dogs and cats get worms and even animals which look in tip-top condition can carry them.
As a responsible pet owner, it is important for you to worm your pet regularly, as some types can occasionally be dangerous to human health.
The most common intestinal worms in dogs and cats are roundworms and tapeworms.
What do worms look like?
Roundworms are pinky-white and can appear like thin elastic bands, up to several inches in length. If your animal has a heavy burden, you may be able to see the roundworm in faeces or vomit, but often there will be no outward sign of a roundworm infection.
Tapeworms are long flat worms made up of many segments filled with eggs. The segments break off and can come from your pet’s bottom one at a time – they look a bit like moving grains of rice! You can sometimes see them on the skin near the animal's anus or on the floor.
How does my pet get worms?
Most dogs carry Toxocara canis, a common roundworm, and most puppies and kittens are born with roundworm. In adult dogs the roundworm has a complicated life cycle. It grows from larva to adult worm inside the body. Worms and eggs are passed out in the faeces where the eggs develop into larvae. Another dog eats the larvae and the life cycle begins all over again.
Roundworms can also lie dormant in the muscle tissue of bitches and queens and are activated during pregnancy. They can then pass across the placenta infecting unborn young. Puppies and kittens born with roundworms can become sick or even die if they are carrying lots of worms.
Dogs and cats are never born with tapeworms. One of the most common ways they pick them up is through fleas. Cats who are hunters can also get tapeworms by eating prey. Tapeworms can live in fleas which feed on the cat or dog. The animal then eats the flea when it grooms itself and the tapeworm continues life inside its new host.
What should I do about worms?
Adult dogs and cats should be treated at least every 3 months with a wormer effective against both roundworms and tapeworms, whether you think they have worms or not. If your pets have contact with young children, the "gold standard" is to worm every month. Puppies and kittens should be treated against roundworm from a few weeks old or as advised by your vet. Pregnant animals should only be wormed under the supervision of a vet.
Regular treatment against fleas will help prevent tapeworm.
Call your veterinary practice for advice on the best products and worming regime. If you see any worms on your animal wrap them up in damp cotton wool and take them to the vet who will be able to identify them and treat the animal accordingly.
Are humans at risk?
Yes, but the risk is very small. Cases of roundworm infection (toxocariasis) are rare, and usually occur in children who can pick up infective stages of the parasite on their hands by touching pets or playing outside. Sometimes these eggs develop into larvae which lodge behind the retina in the eye and cause damage or even blindness. To stop this happening, worm pets regularly, wash children's hands thoroughly before they eat and clean up after your dog with a poop scoop.
Common tapeworms cannot be picked up by humans.