Proper animal care is crucial for keeping your pets healthy and happy. Deworming is an essential part of pet care for cats and dogs. Unfortunately, it’s frequently overlooked until the animal becomes infected. Learn more about worms and how they can affect your pets with this brief guide.

What Are Worms?

Worms are parasitic organisms that use your pet as a host for survival. Heartworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and roundworms are a few common types that can infect a pet. Cats and dogs catch worms in several ways, including eating the waste of other infected animals, flea bites, and playing in contaminated soil.

What Are the Health Risks of Worms?

These parasites will settle in specific organs within your pet to feed off the nutrients in their system. For instance, tapeworms don’t have a digestive tract, so they commonly nest within the intestines to eat predigested food. If left untreated, worms can weaken the animal’s body and leave them unable to fight other illnesses.

Some infection symptoms are diarrhea, weight loss, a distended belly, and (for dogs) scooting on the floor. It’s also possible for humans to get infected, so deworming will keep both you and your pet healthy.

How Do You Prevent & Treat Worms?

Part of your animal care routine should be regular deworming and prevention medications, as suggested by your veterinarian. For dogs over six months old, deworming products can be administered every three months; additionally, cats of the same age can receive treatment once every two to six months. Other prevention methods include frequently disinfecting their eating and drinking dishes and washing their bedding in hot water to kill worms or fleas.

Give your beloved pet the animal care it needs by reaching out to the professionals at Hayward Animal Hospital. For more than 30 years, this animal hospital has provided exceptional care to pets throughout Sawyer County, WI. Their experienced veterinarians and staff can handle a variety of healthcare services, including lab testing, cat and dog vaccinations, pet orthopedics, and animal dentistry. Schedule your appointment today by calling (715) 634-8971 or visit them online for more details.