Some Cat Uncommon Worms - Pinworms, Trichinosis, Whipworms, Flukes, Heartworms

The life cycles of most worms are such that the possibility of re-infestation is great. To keep worms under control, you must destroy eggs or larvae before they re-infest the cat. This means good sanitation and maintaining clean, dry habitat for your feline.

You shouldn't put too many cats together on shaded earth, which provides ideal conditions for seeding eggs and larvae. A water-tight surface such as cement is the easiest to clean. Hose it down daily and allow to dry in the sun. Gravel is a goog substitute. Usually it provides good drainage, and it is easy to remove stools from gravel. Disinfect the concrete and gravel surfaces with lime, salt, borax. Also remove stools from the pens daily. Lawn should be cut short and watered only when necessary.

Below are some other uncommon cat worms parasites:

• Pinworms - a common cause of concerns to families with cats and children. Cats do not present a source of human pinworm infection as they do not acquire or spread this disease.
• Trichinosis - a disease acquired through ingestion of uncooked pork containing the encysted larvae of Trichina spiralis. Prevent this disease by keeping your cat from roaming, particularly if you live in a rural place, and cook all fresh meat (your own and that of your cat's).
• Whipworms - are slender parasites 2 to 3 inches long that live in the cecum (1st part of large intestine). Whipworms are usually found incidentally and are not known to cause disease in cats. Hence no treatment is necessary.
• Flukes - are flatworms ranging in size of a few milimeter up to an inch or more in length. There are several species that parasitize different parts of the cat's body, including the lung, liver and small intestine. Flukes are acquired by eating infected raw fish and small prey such as snails, frogs and crayfish.
• Heartworms - are not common in cats but more common in dogs. However cats may be accidental hosts.
• Lungworms - are slender hairlike parasites about one centimeter in length. Two common species of lungworm that affect cats are: Aeleurostrongylus abstrussus and Capillaria aerophila.
• Stomach worms - are most likely to affect cats living in the southwestern US. Prevent this disease by keeping your cat from roaming and hunting.
• Bladder worms - are common in Australia but rare in US. Worms live in the urinary bladder and pass eggs in the urine. The eggs resemble those of the whipworm. The infection causes few if any problems.

Next article: Salmonella Symptoms and Treatments