The health care of our pets must be a priority if we want to give them a long and happy life. In addition to providing them with quality food and ensuring that they get enough exercise, it is essential to keep their deworming, vaccinations and veterinary checks up to date.
Parasites are one of the main enemies of a dog's or cat's health. They are divided into external parasites (mainly mosquitoes, lice, ticks and fleas) and internal parasites. While the former are easier to detect and combat, the latter are silent criminals who attack our best furry friends. Let's see what are the most frequent internal parasites, as well as the dangers they entail.
The heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is one of the most frequent internal parasites in cats and dogs, especially in the latter. The animal contracts them through the bite of an infected mosquito and this worm reaches the heart through the blood. Once there, it increases in size until it obstructs blood flow and inflames the arterial wall, becoming fatal if not treated in time.
It is complex to detect until the disease is very advanced. Some of its symptoms are cough, fatigue, loss of appetite and nosebleeds, as well as heart failure.
Hookworms are contracted by suckling in the case of puppies if the mother is infected or by swallowing the eggs of this parasite, or by contact with the skin. They are an intestinal parasite that attach to the lining of the intestinal wall and feed on the blood of the dog or cat.
Its main consequence is anemia, causing serious blood loss and even death. Diarrhea and pronounced weight loss can give us clues that our pet is infected with these microscopic worms. We can also observe their eggs in the animal's feces.
They are bacteria that settle in the intestine and bloodstream of dogs. Consequently, they can cause serious diseases such as syphilis or Lyme disease.
Roundworms or roundworms are a very common intestinal parasite, both in cats and dogs. You can get it by sniffing, licking, or eating contaminated food, water, or objects; transmitted from infected mother to puppies at birth or by nursing; or by eating their eggs.
These worms settle in the intestines of the animal, damaging organs such as the brain, liver and lungs. They can cause severe anemia, infections, intestinal problems, malnutrition, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, and even death.
The tapeworm is spread by ingesting an infected flea. It is a kind of long, flat worm that settles in the small intestine of the dog or cat, feeding on all its nutrients and growing inside it. You will be able to detect it by the presence of its detached segments in your pet's feces, as well as by a notable weight loss despite eating normally.
