Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Cats love to eat things that they shouldn't, and string is one of their favorite inedible snacks. Twine, string, rubber bands and other foreign linear bodies are a serious health hazard for your furry friend. These materials can get stuck in your pet's digestive tract, causing serious medical issues.
Even if you love dogs, constant barking and yapping can get annoying for you and the neighbors. Essentially, all dogs vocalize in some way, but certain breeds do not actually bark. And some breeds bark so rarely that you might never actually learn what your dog sounds like.
Horses are susceptible to various dangerous intestinal worms that can wreak havoc in the animals' innards. Tapeworms, threadworms, strongyles, pinworms, lungworms, cyathastomes and roundworms are parasites that can easily invade the equine system. Symptoms including hair loss, cough, weight loss, diarrhea, stomach inflammation, lethargy, loss of appetite and death may occur as a result of infestation of some of these parasites. Understanding the effects of worms in horses will help owners recognize symptoms and seek prompt treatments.
Intestinal worms can affect both dogs and people, depending on the type of parasites you are dealing with. If your dog has become infested with an intestinal parasite, you must treat him to rid him of these worms and decrease the possibility of him passing them to you or members of your family. When handling him, always wash your hands afterward, especially before handling food.
Whipworms, internal parasites that embed themselves in the walls of a dog's large intestine, thrive by ingesting the dog's blood and tissue. Left unchecked, whipworms continue to reproduce inside the dog, resulting in an infestation that can last years without treatment. Though a small infestation causes few side effects, a large one can lead to severe dehydration and anemia, both potentially life-threatening conditions.
Ringworm is a type of fungal skin infection that causes circular patches of hair loss on a cat's coat, with red rings in the patch centers giving the infection its name. This is a highly contagious condition that can affect a cat's coat, nails and skin. Without treatment, it can cause extreme discomfort and spread to humans and to other pets in your home.
If you notice a change in your cat's personality, or sudden weight loss with a pot-bellied appearance, or a change in the frequency of bowel movements and mucus-covered feces, your cat may have worms. You may see worms around the cat's anus, either alive or stuck in the surrounding fur. If you have multiple cats, it is prudent to assume that all will be infected. There is not one common treatment for all types of worms, and home diagnosis is rarely possible. If you suspect your cat has worms, take a stool sample to your vet for professional diagnosis and…
All dogs in the United States are at risk for heartworm if they remain untreated. No state is “safe” from heartworm infestation; dogs testing positive for heartworm have been found in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. Leaving heartworms untreated can debilitate or disable your dog and may even cause death. The best treatment for heartworm is the use of preventive medication.
Worms are a fact of life for dogs, and pet owners need to be aware that even tiny puppies are likely to have them. It is important to worm dogs on a regular basis, and puppies may need to be wormed as often as every two weeks for a period of time. There are many different options for worming dogs, depending on the type of worms that are present.
Keeping your cat in good health includes providing basic veterinary and maintenance care, including regular worming. While many animals do naturally have some worms, a severe worm infestation can cause your cat to become extremely ill and in some cases, it can cause complications which may lead to death. If your cat's stomach appears to be distended and feels firm or hard to the touch, you should take your pet to the veterinarian to ensure the cat receives proper diagnosis and treatment before the problem can get worse.
Different dogs have different needs, but all require some form of shelter. A domestic dog's dwelling also serves the same purpose as a den to its wild counterparts, providing the dog with a sense of security, comfort and protection. A shelter may be simple or elaborate. It may be solely for the dog's comfort, or it may be used in training or limiting unwanted behavior while the dog is alone.
Parasitic worms are a potential health hazard for both you and your pets. Unfortunately, the problem of parasitic worm infestation does not come with an easy solution. Parasitic worm eggs cannot be killed readily through chemical compounds. Instead, exposure to heat and radiation is the most effective way to kill them. The removal of animal waste from pets, especially infected pets, is an important step in keeping houses and yards free from parasitic worms and their eggs.
Marigolds are cheery annual plants that brighten the summer bed or container. The leonine heads and coloring are combined with a strange, pungent scent which many feel provides a repellent effect to insects and pests. Marigolds are considered companion plants, meaning they enhance or provide benefits to other plants. Companion planting reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and even herbicides. However, marigolds have little real effect on most insects and are not dangerous to earthworms.
Dates are a drupe fruit that several members of the Palm tree genus Phoenix produce. The Senegal date palm, Canary Island date palm and traditional African date palm, or Phoenix dactylifera, all give us the sweet, tasty fruit we call dates. They are attractive trees that can reach heights of 100 feet or taller, although they grow only in USDA climate zone 9 and higher. Larvae of the raisin moth (Cadra figulilella) and the greater date moth (Arenipses sabella) sometimes attack ripening fruit, both on and off the tree. Pheromone traps can help to control the adult population.
Earthworms are slimy, spineless creatures that you might think were put on the earth to creep you out or use as fishing bait. A closer look at the biology of the earthworm, and the septum in particular, reveals a more complex creature than you might think. The segmentation, movement and excretion activities carried out by the septum of an earthworm are a clever design in a tiny package.
Cats become infested with tapeworms usually after ingesting an intermediate host, such as a flea or a rodent, depending on the type of tapeworm involved. A tapeworm can grow up to about 24 inches in length inside the cat's intestines, according to Bayer HealthCare. If infected, your cat will experience discomfort and illness, along with other unpleasant side-effects without treatment.
Intestinal worms can infect cats in different ways. Outdoor cats can get parasites by coming in contact with infected fleas or rodents, or with the worm-infested feces of other animals. Indoor cats, while safer, can catch worms when walking outdoors or when exposed to fleas. Common cat worms include roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. Vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, a swollen belly and blood or mucus in the stool are all signs of worms in a cat. Combat them at home with diatomaceous earth, powdered fossil material that kills worms without harming your pet.
Creating an earthworm colony and becoming a vermiculturist (worm farmer) is easy if you have the correct tools. Worms break down fruits, vegetables and other digestible waste into fertile soil. The creatures eat and digest plant debris. The process creates soil that has nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and other nutrients. Earthworms also make tunnels in the ground that aerate the soil and rid the earth of harmful organisms.
Flower and vegetable gardens require the right season and location, with appropriate moisture and nutrition for growth. They also need dark, crumbly, rich soil for nutrition, moisture retention and root growth. Red worms help maintain soil quality through tunneling and processing soil, and they add valuable natural fertilizer. Put red worms in the garden and keep a worm bin for a constant supply of fertilized compost and mulch.
Cats often show pleasure and affection by licking their loved-one's hand. However, when this happens, you may wonder how safe it is to have cat saliva on your skin. Like human saliva, cat saliva comprises several elements, some of which are innocuous and others that could be harmful, especially to those who are allergic.
Can dogs get worms from eating chocolate? The short answer is no. However, eating chocolate can cause far worse health issues for dogs than worms. Chocolate contains two chemicals harmful to dogs; theobromine and caffeine. These chemicals are harmless to humans but can cause heart and central nervous problems in dogs, including seizures, coma and death. If you know or suspect your dog has eaten chocolate of any kind, take it to your veterinarian immediately.
Larger-quantity or -sized items often cost less to use than smaller ones, including heartworm medications. However, even if using horse heartworm medications for your dog costs less, it may not give good or safe results. A dose of equine heartworm medicine treats a horse weighing as much as 1,500 pounds. Inaccurately dividing it into a dose for your dog creates a risk of providing a lethal dose or serious medical problems, according to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center.
Keeping worms in your home can be interesting, educational and useful. The worms can be used to compost kitchen scraps, turning garbage into valuable fertilizer almost before your eyes. This is a great project for kids and teaches them how things are recycled in nature. Red wiggler worms are readily available from bait suppliers and are the ideal worm choice for this project.
Many animals, including the earthworm, have a body cavity called the coelom. This cavity is part of the earthworm's bilaterally symmetrical body structure. The coelom is an open space found between the earthworm's stomach, or gut lining, and its body wall.
Earthworms are in the phylum Annelida, of the order Oligochaeta. Approximately 1,800 species of earthworm in five families are found worldwide, but most earthworms in North America, Europe and western Asia belong to about 220 species in the family Lumbricidae. Earthworms are raised commercially for aerating garden soil, for composting and as bait for fishing.
Most people are familiar with how a beloved pet's death affects its owner or family. However, not many people realize it's just as difficult for a pet to adjust to the death of its owner. Animals may be unable to express themselves as humans, but they do experience grief, according to a Daily Mail website article. It is difficult to know exactly how to help a grieving pet, especially if you're experiencing grief as well.
Cats can contract a number of different worms in several different ways. While the worms are not contagious to dogs in the sense that they can catch them simply by being in the same room, they can contract them in other ways, such as consuming affected fecal matter and walking over affected ground. Different types of worms are transmitted from cats to dogs, and vice versa, in different ways.
Puppies are often born with worms of some kind. Left untreated, worms can cause your puppy to become malnourished and can even lead to death in some cases. Furthermore, worms are contagious and can be transmitted not only to other pets but to humans as well. There are four kinds of worms that most commonly infect the digestive system of puppies.
Zipper tapeworms belong to the genus Spirometra. The adult tapeworms infect the small intestines of domestic and wild cats. They use hooks to attach their long, flat bodies to the intestinal wall, where they produce eggs and absorb nutrients from the host. Known species of zipper tapeworms include Spirometra erinacei, Spirometra mansonoides, Spirometra ranarum and Spirometra mansoni.
The practice of using worms and microorganisms to recycle organic waste into fertilizer and soil components is called vermicomposting. The most commonly used type of worms is the red worm (Eisenia foetida). The process is very effective in the treatment of sewage and recycling of waste water. Many municipalities and cities are now experimenting with the idea, while some have already rolled out full programs for the same.
Protect your horse against parasites by gaining the health and beauty advantages of feeding a daily wormer. Worm living in the digestive tract can cause serious illnesses, as well as weight loss, diarrhea and poor coat condition. Once a foal reaches between two and three months old, mix these medications with their feed. Types of horse parasites include large and small strangles, pinworms and roundworms.
Melaleuca oil is commonly known as tea tree oil. It is steam-distilled from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, or the narrow-leaved tea tree, a plant native to Australia. Very few scientific studies have been done on tea tree oil, according to the Mayo Clinic. Anecdotal evidence suggests that tea tree oil may be helpful in treating mange, but veterinarians do not recommend it as a treatment option.
Sufficient iron levels are essential for a canine's good health. Iron combines with copper and protein to form hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Iron also impacts the proper functioning of certain enzymes in a dog's body. On average, canines should receive 36.4 mg of iron daily for every pound of food they eat (on a dry matter basis).
Mealworms are not actually worms at all. They are the immature (larval) form of the darkling beetle Tenebrio molitor. Although these insects are pests of stored grain, they are a common food source for pet amphibians, reptiles and birds -- providing a good source of protein. They also are roasted, flavored and sold as a novelty snack-food for people. Raising mealworms to feed pets, or just to learn about insect metamorphosis, is an easy endeavor. Just as an ant farm allows someone to watch ant behavior, a mealworm farm or habitat will, over time, display all of the growth stages…
Intestinal parasites found in cats include roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms and hookworms. These pests live in your cat's intestines and cause an array of symptoms, including diarrhea, anemia, vomiting and skin lesions. Cats acquire these parasites by ingesting their microscopic eggs or an intermediate host, such as a rabbit, rodent or flea. Prevent health issues in your cat, and the contamination of the environment with the parasitic eggs, by worming your cat to kill the parasites in its system with an anthelmintic, or antiparasitic drug.
The rich natural habitats in Virginia are home to numerous mammal species, from the large black bear to tiny rodents. The state alone is home to 13 species and subspecies of shrew belonging to just three genera of the Soricidae family. More than 300 species belong to this family. All of these shrews are small with long, pointed skulls, and some are venomous.
Nightcrawlers and bloodworms are similar in that they are both worms, but nightcrawlers are found on land and bloodworms are found in water. Both are very effective for use in fishing, with bloodworms having the slight edge due to their bright red coloring. Nightcrawlers are also known as earthworms, and play an integral role in the purification of topsoil. Bloodworms do not contribute to the ecosystem in as productive a manner.
The various types of worms that infect kittens --- roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and heartworms --- can cause serious health problems. Diarrhea is often the first and most obvious symptom of worms. If you suspect your kitten is infected, take it to a veterinarian right away. In some cases, the only way to get rid of worms is through prescription antibiotics. Prevent your kitten from getting a worm by treating flea, mice, roach and beetle infestations. Also, give it heartworm-prevention products and cook all meat you feed it.
The majestic coral reefs of the ocean are home to thousands of exotic sea creatures. One of the smallest creatures on the reef is one of the ocean's sea worms -- the red-rim flatworm. From its distinctive defense mechanisms to its ability to repopulate itself, the red-rim flatworm is one of nature's most fascinating creatures.
The horse hair worm, or Gordian worm, is a very long, thin worm similar to a nematode. Gordius robustus gets its common names from the appearance of the worms in water, where it resembles a mass of hairs dropped from a horse's mane. While breeding, the worms knot themselves into a loose ball resembling the Gordian knot of mythology. The worm cannot harm a human, nor is it a pest to gardens. It is a beneficial insect as it kills crickets, grasshoppers and other herbivorous insects that feed on crops. The horse hair worm has four life stages.
Chickens are omnivorous and will eat, or least sample, just about anything. They consume a wide variety of vegetable, fruits, berries, grasses, grains, insects and worms. Chickens are raised for a variety of reasons. The age of the chicken and what its end purpose will be determines the best diet for that particular chicken. Chickens are raised for egg production, meat production, breeding production and by hobbyists for fun. All chickens love to eat mealworms.
The onset of worm infestations in cats occurs for a variety of reasons, but is commonly associated with the cat coming into contact or eating flea eggs or larvae. When you notice that your cat has worms, it is important to find out what type of worm is causing the infestation, since different over-the-counter medications are intended for treating a particular type of worm.
Hogs are particularly vulnerable to intestinal parasites because of their eating habits. Hogs infested with worms will not die unless already weakened, but they will become thin and sick. The improperly cooked meat of parasite-infested hogs also presents a risk to humans, as the cysts of some parasites can be ingested and lead to human infestation. The serious risk to humans and hogs can be lessened through diet, management and medication.
Hookworms are a common parasite infecting humans, cats and dogs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 600 million to 740 million people worldwide are infected with hookworm. Hookworms live in the small intestines of humans and dogs and pass out through the body in fecal matter. A puppy contracts hookworms by eating infected fecal matter. Learn the signs of hookworm infection and what natural cures are available.
The Mexican Red Knee Tarantula is a nocturnal spider that is threatened in its natural habitat of the coastal Mexican scrublands and areas of Panama. The spider is a popular pet because of its peaceful nature and the ease of care, with feedings required up to twice per week in captivity, according to The Tarantula Guide.
Wolf worms, occasionally referred to as screw flies, are a member of the genus Cuterebra. Adult wolf worms, known as bot flies, do not parasitize other animals or bite, but the larvae can leave a painful abscess. They parasitize a variety of organisms, and kittens are frequently infected. These worms are not traditional parasites because they eventually leave their hosts to lay eggs and complete their development. However, the lesions they cause when they burrow into a host can lead to severe skin infections. Wolf worms are easily transmitted to other animals, including humans.
For some, a tarantula is a bizarre and unappealing animal to choose as a pet. But tarantulas are easy to keep and interesting to watch. If you like creepy-crawlies, you might just have a Costa Rican or Mexican red-rump tarantula at home. Both species are similar in appearance, although the Mexican red-rump is larger and redder. Tarantulas should be kept in a large tank lined with up to 4 inches of potting soil, coconut fiber or vermiculite to burrow in. Providing the right diet is a crucial part of its care.
Although many people don't realize it, deworming should start early in a puppy's life. Most puppies carry worms and their immune systems are still too immature and weak to fight the infestation. In the first weeks of life, a puppy should be dewormed bi-weekly. Once they are eight weeks old, the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists recommends that they be placed on a monthly deworming schedule.
Worming your horses is an important part of preventative health care. Horses are subject to a number of parasites, and those invaders can cause real problems if left unchecked. Paste wormer provides an easy and inexpensive way to keep those parasites at bay, but many horses do not like the taste and refuse to take their medication. If you have a horse like that, you can use a dewormer that is simply added to the daily grain ration.
The round worm and the tapeworm are two types of worms that commonly affect cats and kittens, though heart worm, whip worm and hookworm are prevalent in other countries. For a new kitten owner, the fear of parasites is a genuine concern. If the mother had tapeworms, it is almost always passed to her kittens through her milk. Proper identification and immediate action ensure a kitten will grow to a healthy, happy adult cat.
