Worming Advice for Dogs and Cats
By Annaliese Morgan
Pets can carry worms and still look bright, playful, and hungry. This lack of change in your pet can catch you off guard because the signs these internal parasites are present are often mild or even absent at first.
While the thought of having internal worms can make us feel a bit yuck, especially if we imagine the parasites are like noodles squirming about, they are common in both dogs and cats. They affect their health, and in some cases, can be fatal if left untreated. Some worms can also be passed on to humans.
Therefore, proper worming advice with a good schedule is necessary to protect not only your pet, but also other dogs and cats, the environment, and you. Let’s look at the range of worms and what to do.
Types of worms in the USA
Worms are internal parasites which survive by feeding from your pet and living in their bodies rent-free! They can be caught in various ways, via their mother’s milk for example or more commonly before birth in the womb, another infected pet or infected part of the environment… They may drink from a contaminated puddle, or you might bring in worm eggs on the sole of your shoe. We never know where or when they might pick up worms, but it’s likely they inevitably will during their lifetimes at least once.
Worms reproduce in the intestines (except a couple that don’t), then shed their eggs into your pets’ feces and, by default, into the environment. Tapeworm is also often caught by ingested inflected fleas when grooming, highlighting the need for regular flea treatment further.
Intestinal parasites
Tapeworms
Roundworms
Hookworm
Whipworm
Giardia (protozoa)
Coccidia
Non-intestinal Worms
Heartworm (live in the heart and pulmonary)
Lungworm (live in the respiratory tract and lungs)
Common signs of intestinal worms
Worms don’t announce themselves; they sneak up on us, and your pet may exhibit no signs of them until the burden has increased or has been present for some time. However, this is not always the case and the signs can become very uncomfortable and distressing.
Your pet may just seem off or not quite right
Scooting across the floor
Licking their rear end or being bothered by it
Loose stools or gastrointestinal upsets
Vomiting
Weight loss
Decreased appetite
Behavioral changes
Swollen abdomen
‘Grains or rice’ in feces or around their bottom (these are tapeworms)
‘Strands of cooked spaghetti’ in vomit or their feces (these are roundworms)
Common signs of non-intestinal worms
Non-intestinal worms cause more serious health problems for your pet than intestinal worms. In some cases, infections can become life-threatening if left untreated. Two of the most concerning parasites are heartworms and lungworms.
Lungworm is a new emerging parasite that is becoming more common in dogs. Since its symptoms resemble kennel cough or other respiratory illnesses, it can be difficult to identify without veterinary care. Pets can become infected by eating slugs or snails, or by coming into contact with their slime trails. Common signs of lungworm include coughing, behavioural changes,abnormal bleeding rapid breathing, fainting, exercise intolerance, weight loss, and lethargy.
Heartworm is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Once infected, worms can damage the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, leading to serious health complications. Signs of heartworm disease can include rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, lethargy, coughing, fainting, exercise intolerance, swollen abdomen and, in severe cases, heart failure.
Which pets need more regular protection
Risk rises with exposure. Puppies and kittens often need a stricter plan because they can pick up worms from their mother or the places where they sleep and play. Adult pets face more risk if they hunt, eat raw meat, visit dog parks, kennels, or catteries, or spend time where other animals leave feces.
Even an indoor cat isn't risk-free if fleas, prey, or contaminated shoes come indoors. So, regular protection is needed and safer regardless.
Choosing the right worming schedule for dogs and cats
There isn't one perfect deworming medication or schedule for every pet. Schedules and the type of medication and the medium in which it is administered depend on age, weight, local parasite risk, the product being used, your lifestyle and whether it’s for prevention or treating a burden. Timing matters because worms have life cycles, and missed doses can let the problem return.
Puppies and kittens are also prone to different worms more than adults, and require more frequent dosing, as does the mother of the offspring.
Adult dogs and cats usually have a preventative program based on how they live. A mostly indoor cat with no hunting habit may need a different plan than a cat that roams outside. The same goes for a dog that rarely leaves the yard versus one that visits parks, daycare, kennels, or hikes every week.
Some preventive treatments cover several parasites at once, while others target only certain intestinal worms. Because of this, two products can look similar but protect in different ways. It is essential to discuss with your vet or vet tech the correct worming program for your individual pet and lifestyle. This is to ensure the right medication and frequency are instigated. Veterinary standard wormers are more effective than pet store ones, are usually applied multiple times throughout the year and may be combined with flea and tick treatments. Your vet or vet tech will be happy to show you how to administer them if you haven’t done it before.
It is worth noting the dates for worming treatment on your calendar or on your phone as a reminder, assigning the job to one person is also beneficial to avoid “I thought you had done it” scenarios. Weigh your pet regularly, as wormer (and flea) medication is calculated on weight.
Your vet may also suggest a fecal test or a blood test to check for eggs or antigens.
Household cleanup that helps stop reinfection
Worming medication treats the pet, but eggs in the home or yard can keep the cycle going. Pick up poop quickly, clean litter boxes often, wash hands after handling feces, and launder bedding at hot temperatures during treatment. Reduce exposure to slugs and snails by removing them from your yard when possible to prevent your pets eating them. Repellents can also be used outside but it is imperative they are pet-friendly and instructions are followed exactly.
Deworm all pets in the home, use flea control and review raw feeding, storage and outdoor habits.
If you notice any of the signs mentioned in this article, it's important to have your pet evaluated by a veterinarian. Many parasitic infections can worsen over time if left untreated, but the good news is that most are preventable and treatable when caught early. Staying up to date on parasite prevention and seeking veterinary care when concerns arise can go a long way in protecting your pet's health and well-being.
Annaliese Morgan
Annaliese qualified as a veterinary nurse from Edinburgh and went on to attain a diploma in advanced veterinary nursing in surgery from London. Throughout this time, she worked in both small and mixed veterinary practices and gained head nurse status. Responsible for training other veterinary nurses she also ran the nursing department, nurse clinics, and patient care protocols.
She has looked after 1,000s of patients and owners and created new higher standard nursing regimes, whilst specializing in surgery and anesthesia. After being asked to co-author multiple veterinary nursing textbooks, Annaliese continued to write for further mainstream publications in the UK and USA and after twenty-plus years in both the veterinary and pet care professions, she hung up her scrub suit and now writes full-time.