A client asked me this morning, “Just last week my pet was in to see you and you reported a negative fecal flotation test result. Why, then, am I seeing worms in my pet’s stool?” This is an excellent question and one that is asked more often than you might imagine. The fecal flotation test [...]
Hookworms. Perhaps the most common intestinal parasite of dogs and cats. Roundworms are also common, but tend to occur in younger animals. After a dog or cat reaches a year of age they are still susceptible to both parasites, but much more likely to become infected with hookworms. Joni is the reason this topic comes [...]
Spirometra mansonoides is a tapeworm parasite that commonly infects bobcats, domestic cats and dogs. Unlike the more common tapeworm of dogs and cats, Dipylidium caninum, which uses the flea as its intermediate host, Spirometra have two intermediate hosts. The life cycle begins with an infected animal (bobcat, dog, cat, racoon, and other mammals) passing eggs [...]
Whipworms are on our mind this morning because two little patients, Sammy and Bandaro have arrived for their appointments today with vomiting and loss of appetite. Whipworms are a pesky intestinal worm of dogs that causes weight loss, diarrhea (usually with mucus) and sometimes bloody stool. The most common worm is Trichuris vulpis. Using the [...]
You just never know. By the time he has thirty years of practice under his belt a veterinarian has a pretty good idea what to expect from certain cases. Crisy Ann, for example, could just as easily be named “Prissy,” because she is quite prissy and lives the lap-dog life that fits what you might [...]
Zoonosis. The first syllable is pronounced zo’, with a long “o”, comes from the Greek word for life and has evolved to mean “animal.” “Nosis” is also Greek and refers to disease. In modern usage zoonosis refers to a disease of animals that is transmissible to people. (If you get the impression I’m “into” words [...]
Lacy has whipworms. One look at Lacy and you might be inclined to say that Lacy can have anything she wants! Actually, she falls into the category of a gentle giant. In fact, she’s more than a little timid when she comes into our hospital. Lacy had a birthday yesterday. It was her 8th. If [...]
“OK, Mrs. Jones, we’ll see you at 1:50 with Snookers. And, if you can, try to bring a stool sample that’s not more than 24 hours old so that we can run a test for intestinal parasites.” You get to the appointment with your pet’s doctor, and you give the receptionist the stool sample she [...]
Tapeworms in dogs are Dipylidium caninum, Taenia pisiformis and Echinococcus granulosus. Tapeworms in cats are Dipylidium caninum and Taenia taeniaformis. Dipylidium caninum Let’s begin with the tapeworms you are most likely to deal with in your pet, Dipylidium caninum or D. caninum. As with many parasites, the life cycle of D. caninum is complex and [...]
“Don’t leave home without it,” the ad says. Americans like to apply that same saying to their pets. Travel down any highway, byway or side street and you won’t get far before you see an automobile with a pet in it. On a recent trip to see our children and grandchildren in Louisville, KY, my [...]
Worms. The very word makes you cringe, doesn’t it? Worms are creepy. All worms. Even the ones you fish with. No wonder your wife requires that you put hers on the hook. Our pets can be worm free, from both intestinal worms and heartworms. (Click Revolution to read more of what MyPetsDoctor.com’s Dr. James W. Randolph [...]
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