Do I really need to deworm my pet?

Deworming is a topic that many animal owners have heard of, but unfortunately is one of the most common ones to be forgotten about.  It is also a topic that sometimes during a busy veterinary appointment might slip by the wayside when there are other visible or more serious medical conditions that need to be addressed. Then once that immediate concern is resolved, we are just so happy that Fido is feeling good again that we forget to re-visit the topic.... and another year goes by again without Fido being dewormed!   In addition, many pet owners think that their pet couldn't possibly have an intestinal parasite infection because they haven't seen any big white spaghetti worms in the stool, their pet is eating and drinking normally, and their dog or cat never really goes anywhere....except on walks around the neighborhood, to the park once and awhile, and of course out in the backyard....hmmm. 

Suddenly a light goes on and you can recall all of the various "land mines" Fido sniffed on your walk along the sidewalk yesterday or when playing ball in the park...and you remember seeing that neighborhood cat in the sandbox or in your vegetable garden, and that stray who ran through your yard last night and left a present on the lawn for you to find the next morning!  When you really stop to think about it, you realize that your pet that "never really goes anywhere" or "is only out in the backyard" may have more exposure to potentially contaminated feces or infected animals (mice and birds) than you thought!  Not only is your pet at risk for infection, but many pet owners don't realize that they themselves, can be as well.  This is because many of the common intestinal worms found in cats and dogs are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted to people!  

Zoonotic infections aren't always related to a human directly ingesting contaminated feces (although many moms with toddlers can probably picture some backyard scenarios they would like to forget!)  Do you remember your child or grandchild playing with Fluffy's tail and then rubbing their face or eating a snack without washing their hands first? Fluffy's tail seems clean but we all know sometimes fecal material can get stuck in the fur around the business end.  Maybe that neighborhood cat who likes to spend time in your garden comes to mind when you dug up that fresh carrot, dusted it off and took a bite without washing it first...what exactly was in that little bit of dirt you just ingested?   Many times humans that are infected remain asymptomatic however in some cases, more commonly in young children, there can be serious infections involving the eyes and skin.  For these reasons, intestinal worms in pets are an important factor in public health as well.

At Wascana Animal Hospital, our veterinarians make it a priority to discuss the importance of routine intestinal deworming for your pet.  Have you recently adopted a new pet from a shelter? Do you have a new puppy or kitten in your home?  Does your pet go to doggy daycare or hunt in the backyard?  Do you live on a farm or acreage? Depending on your pet's exposure level, sometimes deworming is recommended annually and other times as often as monthly!  Also depending on the parasite involved and whether your pet has been dewormed previously, sometimes your pet may only need one dose of dewormer and other times they may need several doses a few weeks apart.  Your veterinarian is your best source of advice for deworming information and at your next wellness exam, our veterinarians look forward to establishing a deworming protocol that works best for your pet!