Just as parasitic worms infest and use humans as host so also they affect pet and animals. An understudy of these is especially important as some worm infection can be spread from pets such as dogs and cats to humans. There are about six common parasite worms that affect dogs and cats. A lot of them can be detected by either a fecal flotal examination or a fecal smear. A fecal float would help identify roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidia and tapeworms. A fecal smear can also reveal worm infection though it is used more to detect bacterial overgrowth.

Hookworms are one of the common types of worm affecting canine and cats. The adult worms live in the animal’s large intestine and their eggs are sent out through the stool of the animal. These eggs infect other feline and dogs when they are eaten or penetrate skin or footpad. Hookworm larvae are also passed through breast milk of a nursing mother or even direct to the fetus during the pregnancy term. Hookworm attack in dogs and cats can cause serious disease conditions which might include severe or fatal anemia in weak, malnourished or young dogs and cats. The symptoms include loss of weight, diarrhea, tarry and bloody stools. Sometimes the worms are even passed in the feces. Hookworm larvae can be transmitted to humans as the larvae can penetrate the skin.

Roundworms usually affect puppies and kittens. The adult reside in the small intestine and pass out their eggs through the stool of the animal. Rats are a major source of infection, as the consumption of infected animals also lead to infection. They can also be infected in the womb or through breast milk. Three weeks after a cat or dog is infected it passes roundworm eggs in its stool. Symptoms and effects include poor hair skin coat, pot belly look, diarrhea, ill-thrift and bacterial pneumonia. Sometimes the worms are vomited or passed out in stool. Roundworm can transmit from affected animals to humans. They could infect other body organs and lead to visceral larval migranes.
Whipworms are usually diagnosed in dogs above three months. The eggs of the adults which reside in the large intestine are passed through the feces. Whipworms unlike other worms do not lay regularly or in great quantity. The worm is thus a bit more difficult to diagnose. Infection is through fecal-oral. The signs of infection include diarrhea and weight loss. The worms are hardly passed out in stool of infected canine or cats.

Adult tapeworms live inside the intestines of dogs and cats. Eating an infected flea or animal such as rats are common ways of transmitting tapeworm. The small rice like worm is passed out in the stool of infected animals and thus is used to diagnose dogs and cats that are affected. The eggs and worms are easy to detect in a rectal flotation examination. A negative result is not necessarily enough to conclude absence of tapeworms. Symptoms include shaggy coat, loss of weight, weakness and diarrhea.