Even though the weather is still cold, internal parasites may be snug as a bug inside your pet! One intestinal parasite can produce 100,000 eggs per day, which are passed in the pets’ feces and into your yard, where they can remain infective and pose a threat to your pet and even you for years to come. A zoonotic disease is one that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Some of the intestinal parasites found in our pets are zoonotic, and can cause some potentially irreversible damage in humans. There are a number of intestinal parasites that can infect our pets. Roundworms are an intestinal parasite that are zoonotic. In humans, the worm larvae can travel through areas where they are not meant to, including internal organs such as your liver, which is called visceral larval migrans, or through the retina in your eye, which can lead to blindness, and is called ocular larval migrans. Tapeworms are another zoonotic parasite. Hookworms are also zoonotic, and can be picked up through the skin (so don’t walk around barefoot!). Hookworms cause something called cutaneous larval migrans, which is a red rash where the worm is traveling through the skin. Whipworms and coccidia are two parasites that are not zoonotic. Giardia and cryptosporidium are two […]
Providing the best possible veterinary care for your pet.
Heritage Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinarian clinic that provides examinations, diagnostic services, dental care, surgical services, medicine, grooming and boarding services in Maple Grove, Minnesota. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of pet care possible and facilitating an environment where client communication and education are at the forefront of our practice.
