Tapeworms and roundworms are two of the most common intestinal parasites of cats dogs and should not be left untreated. Tapeworms are long flat worms composed of many individual segments whereas round worms are much shorter and have rounded bodies.

Eggs passed in the faeces can be eaten by another cat or dog. Or they may be eaten by another animal such as a mouse or rat, and a cat can be infected by eating the other animal. Kittens and puppies may also get worms through the milk of the mother.

There are a variety of different tapeworms that can infect cats and dogs. The most common ways your pet can get tapeworm are:

Eggs in faeces are eaten by flea larvae, and then other cats become infected with this tapeworm by eating an infected flea during grooming.

Eggs are eaten by another animal such as a rat or mouse so other cats become infected during hunting by eating an infected rodent.

It is possible for humans to be infected with both Round and Tape worms, the latter is very rare however, as it requires eating an infected flea.

Roundworms are more of a concern, particularly in children, where ingestion of the eggs may result in migration of the worm larvae through the body and potential damage. This is much more of a risk with the dog roundworm (Toxocara canis) but can still occur occasionally with Toxocara cati.

Due to the potential human health hazard, as well as the possible ill-health to the cat, regular worming of cats is important. In addition, careful disposal of litter from litter trays is important, and ideally the tray should be disinfected weekly with boiling water.

A variety of products are available to treat roundworms and tapeworms in ptts but they are not all equally effective. For the best advice on the type of worming preparation most suitable for your pet, simply ask one of our healthcare team.

As kittens and puppies can be infected with roundworms from a very young age it is important that worming is started early and repeated regularly. Tapeworms are more likely to be a problem in adult pets and at this age less frequent but still regular worming is required.

A suitable protocol for worming pets of all ages is:

Kittens and puppies from 4 to 16 weeks of age should be treated every two weeks with a product active against roundworms.

Pets 6 months of age and older should be treated every 3 months with a product active against both roundworms and tapeworms.

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