Fleas and worms are grave concern for any pet owner. They are not only pesky and very, very creepy but they can only pose as serious health hazards for both animals and for humans. The presence of fleas is easy to spot, your cat or dog will be scratching a lot more than usual and chances are you too will have a bite or two from the pesky little black parasites. The best treatment against fleas is early treatment before they are able to lay eggs. Using anti-flea shampoos, powders, drops or pills can get rid of fleas quite effectively. But there is another side to your pet having fleas that you will also need to watch out for – worms.
One of the most common ways that your cat or dog can become infected with tapeworm is by your pet swallowing a flea while your animal is grooming itself. Fleas often carry tapeworm larvae and these larvae arrive in your cat or dog’s stomach where they continue to grow and eventually hatch as worms. Recognizing that you pet has tapeworms is pretty easy by simply check your pet’s stools. A scary fact is that adult tapeworms may reach 8 inches in length as it matures inside of the intestines, so getting rid of worms, along with the fleas, with cat or dog deworming medication is vitally important to your pet’s health.
