What are worms in pets?

Unfortunately there is nothing that will stop your pet from picking up the worms commonly found in the UK: worming treatments deal with current infections but can't offer long term protection.

However, if you worm on a regular basis, as recommended by your vet, any worms should be eradicated before they start to cause your pet to show signs of worms or become unwell.

Some things you can do to reduce the risk of worms in cats and dogs including picking up and disposing of pet faeces responsibly and discourage scavenging, hunting and feeding unprocessed raw food when possible.

Puppies can be born with worms that have been passed directly from their mother so a first treatment is recommended at 2 weeks and then at regular intervals until they are 3 months of age – the bitch should also be treated at the same time.

Kittens should have their first treatment at 3 weeks, and again lactating queens should also be treated to avoid passing any eggs back. Your vet will recommend a worming schedule that is right for your new pet.

An effective treatment will remove worms inside your pet. These products do not offer long term protection, therefore depending on your pet's lifestyle and the risk of lungworm in your area, your vet will recommend either monthly or quarterly worming.

With some worming treatments you do, but not all – please ask your vet for guidance.

Yes. 'Zoonosis' is the term used to describe a disease that is passed from animals to humans, and when it comes to the family dog or cat, the most common types in the UK are those caused by roundworm and Echinococcus (a type of tapeworm).

The best way to ensure your family is protected is to ensure any worms your pet does pick up don't have time to mature and be passed on – regularly worming with a broad spectrum wormer is the only way to do this. 

Always pick up and dispose of pet faeces responsibly and discourage scavenging, hunting and feeding unprocessed raw food when possible.

Worms can pass from pets to people through grooming, stroking their fur (which may contain worm eggs), facial contact (kisses, a lick from a dog whose saliva is infected), fleas and from the environment – sandpits, soil, eating something that has been dropped on the floor etc. Soil can be contaminated with worm eggs from dog and cat faeces, so always wash fruit and vegetables before eating.

We can't be immunised against worms so you need a combination of fastidious hygiene and worming your pet regularly so that any infestation is controlled.

Given that our pets are exposed to parasites from so many sources (fleas, scavenging, contaminated soil and even their mother's milk), preventing total contact with worms is simply not an option. Regular worming, with an effective prescription, is the only practical method of control.

The simple answer is yes.

Pets can pick up worms almost anywhere, but they won't always display obvious symptoms, and by the time they do it may be too late – damage has already been done.

When you consider worms can unwittingly be passed on to members of the family, it's not something you should be complacent about. Worming treatments don't provide long lasting protection so the only way to be sure is to worm on a regular basis – monthly or quarterly (depending on your vets recommendation) – if you want to confidently protect your pet and your family.

Worming regularly is vital if you want to stop worms from maturing and affecting your pet's health. Experts at ESCCAP recommend worming cats and dogs in contact with children or other vulnerable people at least every 3 months¹.

But it does depend on the individual pet - young animals and those in a higher risk environment may require worming more regularly. It's important to discuss with your vet to establish a treatment plan that's right for you.

Yes it probably does. Mice and other rodents often have tapeworm, and can pass roundworm on to your pet. Talk to your vet about the time intervals between treatments they would recommend.

The truth is, sometimes you can't tell if your pet has worms as they don't always show obvious symptoms.

However, some of the common signs that indicate your pet may be infected include 'scooting' – where the animal drags it's bottom along the carpet; vomiting*; diarrhoea*; smelly stools*; a dull, lifeless coat; loss of appetite; lack of energy; a pot bellied appearance – particularly in puppies and kittens; breathing difficulties/heaving/coughing; any general changes in behaviour.

The law requires that all travelling cats and dogs are wormed before returning to the UK, to prevent the introduction of a specific tapeworm, called Echinococcus multilocularis.  We don't have this tapeworm in the UK but it is present in many other countries. This worm does not usually make cats or dogs unwell, but can cause very serious disease in people which can be fatal. Your pet is likely to also need rabies vaccination and appropriate documents from your vet.

There are many parasites found abroad that we don't currently have in the UK, but are not covered by legal requirements.  For example, we don't have heartworm in the UK but it is present in Southern Europe.  It is spread by mosquitoes and can be fatal.  There is no legal requirement to protect your pet against these parasites and it is up to you to discuss what your pet needs with your vet.

A prescription only medicine from your vet will be needed for prevention of some parasites like heartworm.

Fleas can carry and transmit certain types of tapeworm so if you don't control a flea problem at the same time as worming, your pet is almost certain to be re-infected.

If you have a cat ask your vet to recommend an effective external parasite treatment, known as an ectoparasiticide, to control fleas and ticks.