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Internal parasites are very common in our pets, especially in young puppies and kittens. Normal behaviors (such as eating directly off the ground, drinking out of puddles, grooming, and playing fetch and pouncing and biting items on the ground) predispose dogs and cats to parasitic infections all year long. Dogs and cats also acquire parasitic infections from infected prey (e.g., rabbits and mice) or fleas that serve as intermediate hosts for different parasites. Appropriate fecal examinations should be performed on puppies and kittens at least 2–4 times during the first year of life and 1–2 times per year in adults.
YES! Some internal parasites are zoonotic, meaning that they can be passed on from animals to humans. Some of the most common internal parasites that are zoonotic are Roundworms, Tapeworms, Giardia, and Hookworms!
These parasites can be transmitted by letting an infected dog lick you on the face/mouth and not washing your hands after disposing of your dogs’ feces. Hookworms can infect humans by penetrating the skin. This is most likely to occur when walking barefoot on the beach, working in the garden or other areas where pets may deposit feces.
Phone: (519) 367-2691 Fax: (519) 367-5811 mildmayveterinary@gmail.com
RR#5 Box 123 #1342 Hwy 9 Mildmay, Ontario, N0G 2J0
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