One of the most common parasites, hookworms live and grow inside the intestines of canines and felines. Young puppies and kittens can be infected through nursing and can begin passing eggs in their feces in as little as two weeks. The eggs then hatch and release infective larvae. This can occur in as little as 2-8 days under certain conditions.

Canines and felines can become infected with hookworms if they walk across contaminated soil then lick their paws and/or fur later, from contaminated feces or vegetation.

Some pets show no sign of infection, yet some do. Some signs to watch for include vomiting, severe weight loss, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Heavy infections may be fatal.

Hookworms have the potential of harming people as well. The hookworm larvae will usually move around within the skin. One type of hookworm has the potential to penetrate deeper into tissues which can cause serious damage to organs and intestines.

Another very common parasite, roundworms live inside the small intestines of canines and felines. Young puppies and kittens can be infected before birth and via nursing. Eggs are passed inside the feces and can develop in as little as one week and remain infective in the soil for years.

Canines and felines can become infected with roundworms if they walk across contaminated soil then lick their paws and/or fur later, from contaminated feces, vegetation or infective larvae in small mammals or birds.

Some pets show no sign of infection, yet some do. Some signs to watch for include vomiting, severe weight loss, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Heavy infections may be fatal.

Roundworms also have the potential of harming people. Roundworms enter the body as eggs which soon develop into larvae. The larvae can travel through major organs and in most cases, no symptoms exist. In some cases however, the larvae can cause tissue damage which can affect the nerves and the eye, causing permanent eye damage, even blindness.

Whipworms are the hardest parasite to eradicate from a pet. Whipworms are more common in dogs than in cats. Cats can be infected with whipworms, but infection is rare.

Canines can become infected with whipworms through infected feces (which will become infective in one month), soil or vegetation. Whipworms can be quite resilient and the eggs can remain infective for a period of 3-5 years in the soil.

Whipworms live in the intestines and suck blood, but they are usually less harmful and do not generally cause health problems. Severe infections may lead to diarrhea, weight loss and blood loss.

Rarely are humans infected with whipworms when they are eaten.

There are two types of tapeworm that can affect canines and felines. The tapeworm is the most common parasite that an owner can actually see. Tapeworms can break off in segments and appear as grains of rice in the stool.

Tapeworm eggs are ingested by an intermediate host such as a rodent or a flea. For example, if a dog feels a flea crawling or biting he may bite and end up swallowing a flea or a cat my catch a mouse and bite it. It’s that easy.

The tapeworm will enter the bowels and travel to the vital organs, stealing vital nutrients from the food dogs or cats eat. Tapeworms can cause intestinal disturbances, abdominal discomfort, nervousness and weight loss.

Coccidia is a parasite that is not visible to the naked eye. It comes from bird droppings and dogs and cats can become infected by eating contaminated soil and licking their paws and fur afterwards.

After it’s swallowed, this parasite damages the lining of the intestine preventing the absorption of nutrients from food. Bloody, watery diarrhea may appear and dehydration may occur due to the amount of water lost.

It’s highly contagious among young puppies and kittens and unfortunately there are no preventatives to help protect against Coccidia. There is only treatment with medication available to keep the parasite from multiplying.

Unfortunately flea season in Michigan begins in the spring, but that does not mean fleas cannot be a year-round problem. No bigger than a sesame seed, fleas are able to reproduce and move rapidly.

Within twenty four hours of selecting a dog or cat as their host, female fleas will begin to lay as much as fifty eggs per day. The eggs then fall from their host onto the floor, furniture, bedding, and anywhere else their host my travel or lay down. Larvae will hatch from the eggs and burrow their way down into the surface they originally fell on before spinning a cocoon.

The cocooned flea pupae can lay inactive for weeks before emerging as adults who are ready to infest, or reinfest your pet. The flea life cycle can last up to six months.

Fleas bite and suck the blood from their host and they have the capability of infecting your pet with tapeworms as well. A flea infestation can cause mild redness to severe itching. In areas of mild to severe infestation it is possible for people to be bitten by fleas.

Spring in Michigan is also the start of tick season. Ticks can be found around the neck, ears, in the folds between the legs and body, and in between the toes of a dog or cat that investigates shrubbery, brush, tall grass, or fields of plant over growth.

It is important to remove ticks the moment they are discovered because that will lessen the chances of the host contracting a disease. It is best to remove ticks with tweezers and firmly grip the tick as close to the pet’s skin as possible and gently pull the tick free with out twisting it. After removal, crush the tick avoiding any contact with the fluids to avoid any possible disease.

Do not slather the tick with petroleum jelly or rubbing alcohol, and do not attempt to burn the tick with a match. Any of these methods could cause the tick to regurgitate saliva into the wound risking the transmission of diseases.

Irritation occurs when a tick bites and heavy infestations can cause anemia. Ticks are capable of spreading Lyme disease to both animals and humans.

Only seen under a microscope, mites can create intense irritation for canines and felines. There are two types of mites which commonly infest a host. The ear mite, which remains around the ear; and sarcoptic mange mites (mange), which reside in the skin.

Ear mites cause irritation in the ear canal which leads to excessive itching, scratching and head shaking. Scratching may get so severe it might lead to open sores and bleeding around the ears.

Mange mites are highly contagious, affect dogs and cats of all ages, and can happen at any time of the year. These mites burrow through the top layer of skin and can also cause severe, intense itching with hair loss, a skin rash, and crusting on the skin. The skin infections usually develop after the intense itching.

People who come into contact with an animal with mange can very well develop a skin rash. Those who do, please make an appointment to see your physician.

Giardia  is a single-celled parasite which lives in the intestine. It’s contagious between canines which typically infects older dogs and puppies resulting in diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss. Left untreated, this parasite can lead to overall poor health condition, even death when serious.

The host would need to swallow water with Giardia present or other substances soiled with feces.  To prevent Giardia it’s important to provide safe, clean drinking water. Allowing your pet to drink standing water outside, such as puddles increases their risk since the water may have been contaminated with animal feces.  As with preventing all parasites it is important to pick up feces.

Giardia is the common cause of diarrhea in people, but dog Giardia is not usually considered to spread from animals to humans, but human Giardia may infect dogs.

Unfortunately there is no preventative to prevent a Giardia infection so maintaining a clean yard and frequently changing your pet’s drinking water is the best way of prevention.