How to Tell if You Have Whipworms in Pets

Pet owners are a special breed. We love our animals and go to great lengths to ensure their health. We provide them with preventative care, the best food possible, and ample amounts of love and devotion. Despite our vigilance, few pet owners are well educated on the remarkably important topic of whipworms. Whipworms, named aptly for their whip resembling tail, are actually quite common and are quite at home in the intestinal tract of dogs. Cats are not as prone to whipworms as dogs. In fact, about 1 cat for every 12 dogs is infected with whipworm. Fortunately, blood tests and stool tests can help detect these harmful little creatures before serious health complications set in.

This nasty little parasite is usually contracted when dogs and cats drink water that contains the whipworm egg. While it is possible for our furry friends to pick up whipworm from contaminated food sources, this is rare. Dogs and cats who tend to drink from unclean sources may end up swallowing more than just relief for their thirst. Eggs that infect the water source live in the cat or dog’s intestinal tract for as long as 90 days before finally hatching into thin worms, and they are born hungry.

There are varying degrees of infestation, just like a dog can have a few fleas. However just like a dog with a few fleas has a high likelihood of having well over a hundred if they are not treated, the same applies to whipworm infestations. If there are just a few of these nasty parasites in our little pals, the only symptom is likely to be evidence in their stool. As the infestation grows larger, the symptoms are going to become more severe. Diarrhea becomes diarrhea which is heavily laden with mucous, and then eventually laden with mucous and blood. In serious cases, the worms can actually break through the wall of the intestines and cause the intestines to become firmly attached to the internal wall. This causes great discomfort and causes a lot of flank licking, as though the cat or dog can rid themselves of the adhesion by licking. The three most obvious symptoms include serious diarrhea, anemia (which causes fatigue,) and weight loss.

Most dogs and cats that spend a least part of their time outdoors are tested for whipworms during their annual check-up. Testing for whipworms is usually part of this process. Stool tests can detect any number of parasitic worms that may have died in the intestinal tract or were excreted prior to being able to latch onto the intestinal wall. Blood tests can also determine whipworms, as well as other types of worms during the once a year check under the hood routine. Many veterinarians only provide stool tests as they are less expensive and offer immediate resolution but will perform blood tests upon request. Blood tests are more difficult than stool tests on cats and dogs who regard their veterinarian as that nasty human with a rectal thermometer.

Testing for whipworms on puppies, kittens, older dogs and cats, and special needs dog and cats are often only subject to stool tests as well. Blood tests can be more stressful than they are worth considering that a good stool sample and a thorough test can reveal anything from whole worms, part of the worm, to worm eggs, even at varying degrees of infestation.

Yuk! Whipworms leave clues. Learn How to Detect Whipworm Symptoms in your Pets