Why are fecal checks so important?

Fecal testing is an extremely valuable diagnostic tool that can tell our veterinary team a great deal of important information about the health of your pet. One of the key things that fecal testing is used for is checking for the presence of parasitic worms.

There are many different types of parasitic worms that can affect your pet. Most worms that infect dogs, such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms, live inside your pet’s intestines and can get passed out into his bowel movements. In some cases, it is possible to see these worms in a stool sample with the naked eye, but in other instances, our veterinary team will need to perform a microscopic assessment to check for their presence. Cats also get worms, with the most common varieties being roundworms and tapeworms.

Heartworms

There is another type of parasitic worm that doesn’t live in your pet’s intestines, but instead in the blood vessels surrounding his heart and lungs. These are aptly named heartworms and are the most serious worm that can affect your pet. Dogs make the most natural host for heartworms, but it isn’t unheard of for cats to get them too. Left untreated, they are nearly always fatal so following a regular worm prevention program is essential to keep your furbaby safe.

What is deworming?

Deworming is the process of giving preventative medication to pets to prevent them from contracting worms. There are many ways in which pets can develop worms. For example, they can contract them from other animals or from coming into contact with another animal’s feces.

There are many different types of worming preventative available and our veterinary team will be happy to help you find the variety that is most suited to your pet – something which is usually based on breed and weight. These are usually administered as a chewable tablet that can be hidden in your pet’s food, and it is important to ensure he consumes the entire tablet to be certain that he is fully protected.

How often do pets need fecal checks and deworming?

Recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) state that all pets should have fecal testing performed at least once every 12 months, but if your pet is found to have a parasite infestation, or we believe that she warrants more regular testing, we may increase the frequency with which we ask for fecal samples.

When it comes to administering worming medication, the frequency with which it needs to be given depends on the variety of medication you choose. In most instances, worming needs to be carried out at least every three months and some types of preventative are required to be given monthly to give your pet complete protection. Our vet will be able to advise you of a suitable worming schedule for your furbaby.

Got further questions about worming and fecal testing? Our experienced team would be happy to help. Please contact our veterinary hospital in Port Royal, SC to speak to us.