No animal is immune from being infected with intestinal parasites. Intestinal parasites are more commonly seen in puppies, kittens and shelter animals.
Symptoms
Intestinal parasites can cause mild symptoms like diarrhea to more severe life-threatening symptoms.
Common Parasites & Prevention
The most common intestinal parasites seen in our area are:
- Coccidia
- Giardia
- Hookworms
- Roundworms
- Tapeworms
- Whipworms
It is important to know there is no one dewormer on the market that can kill all of the listed intestinal parasites. In addition, the different parasites have many different protocols for treatment. Any time you get a new pet, regardless of its deworming history, you should always have your veterinarian check a fecal sample. Of the six common intestinal parasites, you can only see two of them without a microscope, which is why it is important to have your pet checked.
More Information
For more information on the different intestinal parasites, see the Parasite Testing Parasite Awareness Brochure (PDF).