Deworming

Throughout your pet’s life they may be exposed to worm infections. To reduce the possibility of your pet becoming infected our team encourages deworming treatments. This also prevents your pet from spreading worms to other pets and people in your neighbourhood. (Some worms like tapeworms and roundworms can spread to humans.) Even if your pet stays mostly indoors, we encourage you to have preventative measures in place such as regular testing and deworming medications for them.

What are signs that my pet has worms?

The symptoms may only manifest themselves when your pet has been infected for a long time. This is why it’s so important to have them on worm prevention and tested frequently. Some signs to look out for are:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Bloated stomach
• Bloody stool
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

If you notice any of these signs please bring your pet to see one of our veterinarians. Schedule an appointment at 905-707-9059.

How are worms diagnosed in pets?

If your pet is infected with intestinal worms our veterinarians will check their stool for worm eggs under a microscope. If your pet has heartworms we will run tests such as bloodwork and possibly ultrasounds and X-rays to determine if vital organs have been damaged. Tapeworms are much easier to detect as they can be seen with the eye without a microscope.

How can I protect my pet from worms?

Deworming your pet from an early age is the best form of protection you can give them. Puppies and kittens should start medication between 2 weeks to 1-month-old. These treatments should continue until they are 3-months-old. Younger pets need more frequent medication because their mothers can pass on worms through nursing. We recommend deworming adult pets once every 3 months.