Natural Pet Health

By Erin Huffstetler, About.com

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Adapted from The Healthy Pet Manual: A Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer by Deborah Straw (Healing Arts Press, 2005). http://www.care2.com/

What are your options for flea and tick control if you do not wish to use sprays, pills, or injections? Several healthy alternatives exist.

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Unforeseen Dangers of Spring

With warmer spring weather arriving in the next few weeks, pet owners face an entire new set of challenges. While your pet was likely cooped up inside during the winter, the change in climate will soon likely bring your pet outdoors—also exposing it to potential health hazards.

Nearly every system in your pet’s body can be affected by the change in season, but preventative measures can be taken to ensure your pet stays safe and healthy while frolicking in the great outdoors!

When unleashing your pet into the yard, park, or other place of recreation, be sure to err on the side of caution regarding the territory they investigate. Puppies especially tend to mistake blooms, leaves, and branches as potential chew Toys, which can disrupt digestive systems or even be poisonous.

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As most pet owners already know, Heartworm treatment for cats and dogs isn’t the same. Never, under any circumstances, should you give your cat Heartworm treatment that is designed for a dog – or vice versa. Even though you may own both dogs and cats, you should always give them medicine that is designed for their species.

No matter how you look at it, Heartworm treatment isn’t easy. Your goal is to get rid of the Heartworms, although there are several factors that you’ll need to consider. The first thing to do is take your cat to the vet, as he will be able to run tests to determine just how many Heartworms your pet has. He can also find out how the worms are affecting your cat and if your cat can deal with any side effects that the treatment medicine may impose.

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Roundworms are common feline Parasites that can infect cats of all ages. During a lifetime practically all cats get infected at one time or another because Roundworms can even transmit to kittens through the Lactating mother.

There are two species of Roundworm that predominantly infect cats.

* Toxocara cati
* Toxascaris leonina

Eggs of Toxocara cati pass through the feces of an infected cat. The embryonic worm in the microscopic egg needs a month in the open environment to reach its infective stage. Having reached the infective stage, Toxocara eggs can weather harsh conditions and survive for years.

This second stage larvae are ingested by a cat or by another animal. They hatch in the intestines. This is the primary host of the Roundworm. The young Roundworm then migrates and gets encysted in other body tissues of the host.

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Tapeworms are intestinal Parasites that can infect cats and dogs alike. However the kind of Tapeworms that cats are most susceptible to are different from those that infect dogs in most cases. Cats are most likely to be infected by three groups of Tapeworm species.

* Dipylidium caninum
* Taenia
* Echinococcus

In most cases the manner in which each of these groups infects the cat is different. The Taenia species infects a cat when it eats a prey that is already infected. Dipylidium caninum infects cats when they eat lice or fleas that carry larvae of Tapeworms. Echinococcus infection is through eating raw meat or carrion of an infected host.

Tapeworms comprise of segments. The segments towards the extreme that carry eggs are shed off and these reach the environment when the host excretes. Tapeworms require a minimum of two hosts to survive. The intermediary carries the larvae that live in the tissues of the host. The larvae develop into adults when the secondary host is eaten by a primary host like a cat or dog.

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Parasitic worms in dogs and cats normally reside in the intestines. The one aspect of these parasitic worms is that worm larvae and eggs can remain dormant for years in tissues and wait for an appropriate trigger to surface and infest your pet.

In many cases it is the Stress factor that acts as a trigger for worms to migrate. Feline Parasites like Roundworms and Hookworms can surface abruptly in advanced stages of pregnancy and transmit to the young ones.

Kittens can get infected while in the womb of the female cat or through the milk of the infected mother. Adult cats can get infected by ingesting worm infested feces. They can also fall prey to these Parasites if they consume a prey that is infected.

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Worms in dogs and cats are tenacious Parasites and treatment can be frustrating. In spite of the treatment that you may adhere to for your pet, there is always an underlying risk of re-infection. This is due to the fact that worm larva and eggs can stay dormant in the tissues and intestines for a long time before maturing.

The above mentioned condition makes prevention a pertinent aspect of controlling worms in dogs. It is also important to note that some intestinal Parasites can only be controlled and total eradication is not possible.

Prevention and treatment of worms depend upon the typical lifecycle of each type of worm. Dog Tapeworm and cat Tapeworm infest cats and dogs mainly when an infected flea or rodent is consumed. One species of Roundworms need a foreign host to mature whereas others can infect cats directly. Some others can infect kittens through mother’s milk too.

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Lyme Disease, Infections and Serious Skin Problems

As temperatures quickly rise, so does your pet’s chances of becoming infested with fleas and ticks. Summer is the season when these little pests become a real problem for both pets and pet owners.

Although it is crucial that you take the proper steps to protect your cat or dog from fleas and ticks, it is just as important to keep a watchful eye on your pet. Otherwise, you could be facing more than just a nuisance this summer – your pet could be facing a serious health issue!

Fleas can be extremely bothersome for both your canine and feline pets. These tiny bugs can be picked up just about anywhere during the warmer months, but they pose the biggest problem for pet owners who live in rural areas, where pets may spend a lot of time outside or in wooded areas.

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Out of the numerous intestinal Parasites, Roundworms and Tapeworms are the most common feline Parasites that infest cats. The connection between these two intestinal Parasites ends here. Roundworms are round and slimy creatures whereas Tapeworms are flat and segmented.

Both the worms shed eggs that are passed out in the feces of the cat. But Roundworms and Tapeworms look different. Roundworm eggs excreted in feces are microscopic, whereas Tapeworm eggs are released as packets from the end segments that detach from the worm. These segments can be seen in the cat’s feces or clinging to the hair near the anus of the cat.

Roundworms

The two common species of roundworms found in cats are:

* Toxocara cati
* Toxascaris leonina

Eggs from both the species are generally eaten by a cat when they are still in their non-infectious stage. They may also be ingested by an intermediate host, say, a mouse or a rat.

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