Worming of pets has always been a topic of discussion. All the pet parents need authentic information about how and when to de-worm their precious pets. Generally, worming of any pet should start when they are young. This is because worms are not just acquired from the surroundings, but can be inherited from the infected parent as well. De-worming puppies and kittens is essential to protect them from developing adult worms inside their little bodies. It also ensures their safety from various worm related infections.
Which worms are generally de-wormed from the procedure and treatments? The answer is that there are various worms that can be eliminated and the infections spreading from these can be controlled. There exist Roundworms, Whipworms, Hookworms and Tapeworms that are the prime worms affecting the pet's organs specifically intestines.
A little insight into the activities of these worms will enable you to understand the necessity of worming a pet.
Roundworms: In appearance, they look like long strands of noodles and are usually found in the intestines. They feed on the partially digested food by the pets and are found in abundance. The larvae of these worms are easily transferable from the pet mothers' milk. If the worms get infested in the pet's body by external means like if the pet licks the eggs or another pet's feces, then it may cause serious damages.
Whipworms: The name suggests the look of these worms, thread like structures with one end wider than the other. To be usually found in large intestines, whipworms leads to tremendous weight loss in the pet that it infects.
Hookworms: More often spotted in dogs, these parasites if severely infested in the pet's body, can turn them into anemic. The common signs reflecting hookworm infection are diarrhea, anemia, loss of weight etc.
Tapeworms: Recognized as flat, small rice or grain like structure, these worms can be infested in the dog's body either by external environment or by fleas. Tapeworms reside in intestines and can vary from 4-6 inches in length. They can be spotted in the stool of the dogs or near anus area.
The frequencies at which the pets should be de-wormed vary with their age. For puppies - treatment should be done at 2, 4,8,12 weeks of age, followed by 4, 5, 6 months of age. While for the adult dogs, they must be de-wormed at every 3 months of interval and 6 weeks in case of hydatid infection. Rules also apply for pregnant and lactating dogs. They must be de-wormed before the mating process, 10 days before whelping followed by 2 and 4 weeks of interval's time for after whelping de-worming. For kittens, de-worming should be done in every 2 weeks from 6 weeks of age to 3 months. Followed by, de-worming them every month until 6 months of age. The adult cats must be treated in the same way as adult dogs i.e. at every 3 months of interval.
Adhering to these worming rules and using the proper wormers for the pets, no harm can be caused to them. Choice of the treatments should be perfect and ideal according to the pet's health.
