Roundworms
By Dr Steve Surujbally
Roundworm infections in dogs and cats occur pretty frequently. Some roundworm infestations can be fatal, especially in young pups and kittens, and must therefore be taken seriously.
Here, in the tropics, practically all young mammals have roundworms, including humans. As an aside, I should mention that a human medico friend of mine has a principle of deworming any young child (below the age of five) which is presented to him with symptoms of weight loss and lethargy. We veterinarians tend to follow this same logic. Every young pup or kitten that comes in for vaccination or treatment for some other malady is promptly dewormed – whether or not the general symptoms pertaining to a helminth burden, which we discussed in the Pet Corner April 20, 2008, are present.
How do puppies get infected with roundworms?
Well, believe it or not, the most common way for the pups to contract a roundworm burden is while they are foetuses in their mothers’ wombs (prenatal infection). The mother dog, which has not been dewormed prior to and during pregnancy, might have immature forms (larvae) of the worm in her bloodstream and/or tissues. They migrate right through the placenta into the unborn pup. This means that the puppies are often born with the worms already in their system.
Pups less than six weeks of age can also ingest infective roundworm eggs that abound in unclean surroundings. The eggs then hatch and the larvae penetrate into the intestinal wall and migrate to the liver and lungs. When in the lungs, these larvae are coughed up into the mouth. That’s the infamous and much talked about ‘worm under the tongue,’ which the quack picks out with a needle and pronounces that he has relieved your dog of its worm burden. Of course that’s nonsense. He has extracted an immature stage of the worm, but hundreds are still in the animal’s body.
(This is similar to humans. I have witnessed children with heavy worm burdens coughing up slithering immature stages of worms).
Finally, from the mouth, the larvae are swallowed and reach the small intestine where they mature and become adult worms, laying more eggs – and so the unchecked cycle continues.
In adult dogs, the larvae migrate into the muscles, the kidneys and other tissues, and become dormant – especially if the animal is in good physical condition. When the adult female becomes pregnant, these dormant larvae become active and migrate into the young developing foetus. The worms eventually reach the intestine of the newborn pup within a week of birth. These larvae could then exit in the puppies’ stool. Of course, Mom cleans her newborn pups by eating their faeces, and thus she is re-infected. Cats that eat rats that are infected with roundworms can pick up the larvae this way.
The eggs of the roundworm are very hardy and can withstand all types of weather (wet and dry). They can be found in dust and soil and stick onto clothing and shoes (we bring roundworm eggs into our homes and yards and kennels often this way). We must not allow the faeces of the mother dog (or any adult dog for that matter) to accumulate in the environment in which the puppies live and play.
Lastly, and very importantly, young children (especially those that suck their fingers) should not be allowed to play with puppies. I know that’s a tall order, telling a child not to play with a cute active fur ball, but I have emphasized that since the roundworm eggs adhere to the puppies’ coats, it would be easy for the young child to pick up canine roundworm eggs. Of course, once the puppy has been successfully dewormed (at three weeks and six weeks of age), infection of the child becomes more remote and should not pose too much of a problem.
Next week, some more about the roundworm scourge, including the symptoms of a roundworm infestation and the treatment thereof.
Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-heartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals.
Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.
