Roundworms in dogs and cats

Roundworms are harmful to your dog and cat

Worms in dogs and cats are much more common than most people think and can be harmful to your pet’s health. Roundworms travel around the body and can damage organs and cause inflammation, both in animals and humans.

Symptoms of roundworms in your dog or cat

Adult worms are sometimes found in the faeces or vomit of puppies and kittens. However, this is not always the case! Often there is no sign of a worm infection on the outside. Sometimes the animal has diarrhoea, a swollen belly due to gas accumulation in the intestine, or a dull and shaggy coat. In adult animals, there are usually no symptoms of a roundworm infection.

The life cycle of a roundworm

Eggs are introduced to the environment via the faeces of the dog or cat. This can be up to 200,000 eggs per worm per day. The larva begins to grow inside the egg and thus the eggs become infectious. A dog or cat becomes infected with roundworms by ingesting these eggs from soil contaminated with dog or cat faeces (e.g. sandboxes, parks, playgrounds and garden soil). After the dog or cat eats the egg, the larvae hatch in the intestines of its host and pierce through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. What happens to the larvae subsequently depends on the age of the host.

In young animals, the larvae migrate via the blood to the lungs. There they are coughed up and swallowed. In the small intestine, the larvae develop into adult worms and lay eggs. These eggs are then released into the environment with the faeces and the cycle starts all over again.

It happens quite a lot that the larvae enter the organs via the blood and encapsulate themselves there in older dogs. Only when the animal is pregnant, the larvae become active again. Females can infect their puppies via the placenta even before birth. In both dogs and cats, the larvae end up in the mother’s milk and thus infect their pups or kittens. In the small intestine of the puppies and kittens, the larvae grow into adult worms.

Dogs and cats can also become infected by eating an infected intermediate host, such as a small rodent. Rodents accidentally ingest eggs and these hatch in the intestines. The larvae spread through the body via the bloodstream and encapsulate. If a dog or cat eats this rodent, the encapsulated larvae will develop into adult worms in the intestines of the dog or cat.

Roundworm infection in humans

People can become infected by ingesting roundworm eggs from the environment. Infection can occur during gardening, by eating unwashed vegetables and fruit from one’s own garden, but especially in children who play in contaminated, uncovered sandboxes. Infection usually does not lead to symptoms, but in some cases, it can lead to problems (because the larvae can get stuck in the organs or eyes). For people with a congenital predisposition to allergies (so-called atopy), they might develop allergic diseases more quickly or more severely. This seems very likely for chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. So it is very important to prevent our environment from being contaminated with roundworm eggs by deworming your pets regularly.

Worm your dog and cat regularly

Choose a worming cure with the right active agent in the right dosage, for instance, a combination of Niclosamide and Oxibendazole (Vitaminthe), a combination of Milbemycin and Praziquantel (Milbemax) or a combination of Pyrantel and Praziquantel (Drontal). Mother dogs and cats with a litter often lick their offspring clean, so they can ingest many eggs if the puppies or kittens are infected. That is why it is important to deworm the mother and her puppies/kittens at the same time in the first weeks.

Worming schedule for your dog or cat

Worm your dogs and cats regularly according to the following schedule:

• Pups: at the ages of 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, then monthly until 6 months old. After that, the general guideline is to worm at least four times a year.
• Kittens: at the age of 3, 5 and 7 weeks, then monthly until 6 months old. After that, the general guideline is to worm at least four times a year.
• All other dogs and cats: 4 times a year

It is also important to follow the following guidelines:

• During the nursing period, worm not only the puppies and kittens but also the mother.
• Preferably worm two weeks before a vaccination; a dewormed animal builds a better immune system
• Deworm all your pets at the same time to avoid reinfestation from one animal to another
• To prevent re-infestation with tapeworms, it is wise to treat your pets against fleas at the same time as de-worming them.
• Good hygiene in and around the house is an important measure to prevent worm infestation. Wash the basket and other lying areas regularly, remove faeces from the garden, etc.

Other measures

You can also take simple measures such as wearing gloves when gardening, repotting plants and changing the litter box. Wash your hands after petting your cat or dog, wash fruit and vegetables before eating them and clean up dog faeces!