November 16, 2009
- Tapeworms And Other Parasites In Humans
A parasite like tapeworms in humans is an organism which lives off the host, in this case you or me. The parasite lives its complete life inside our bodies, feeding on our own energy, our own cells or the food we consume.
Do you realize that a staggering 85% of the American adult population has at least one form of parasite living and thriving inside their bodies? Roll that thought around for awhile. Doesn't make you too comfortable does it?
Most of us have parasites like tapeworms in our body. Before you read this article you probably would have bet any amount that you had no parasites living in your body.
Clinical studies have proven that parasites can thrive in your body for many, many years. Here is a sobering thought, what you ate many years ago may still be living in your body if tapeworms in humans were involved.
More than 10 years ago Dr. Ross Anderson wrote" that the single most undiagnosed health challenge in the history of the human race is parasites. That statement was based on his 20 years of interacting with more than 23,000 patients. There not much doubt that when you finish reading this, you'll be convinced of the parasite health challenge and of the need for a natural parasitic cleansing method.
Parasites: Difficult To Find and Much More Difficult To Remove From Your Body!
If your family doctor ran a test for parasites in your body, there is a very good chance that the results would come back negative. Do you think this really means you are free from parasites? Here is a frightening statement; medical testing procedures catch about 20% of the actual cases of parasites. Do you realize that there are well over 1,000 species of parasites that can thrive in your body? Todays medicine can only detect 80-100 types.
What does that tell you?
You probably are starting to realize that ridding yourself of all parasites would be nearly impossible using drugs both prescription and over the counter drugs. Those medicines also can make you quite ill. Imagine what would happen if you had to take a large number of such drugs to kill a dozen of those parasites!
That would be good news for the drug companies but certainly not you. Hopefully, you are beginning to realize that the large drug companies are not anxious for you to find a better way to eliminate parasites from your body.
Are you ready for some good news? There a few herbs that can rid you of over 100 types of parasites in the human body! And you will have no side affects. A big plus is that these herbs will not interfere with any prescription drugs you are now taking.
There are some programs endorsed by doctors that work extremely well. Do your research.
November 13, 2009
- Canine Tapeworms – Symptoms And Treatment
Tapeworms, also known as Dipylidium caninum, are one of the five types of worms that your best friend may fall victim to. The name itself comes from the shape of the parasite which looks like a long (50cm-70cm) flat tape-like body.
The tapeworm attaches itself to the intestines of a dog where it feeds, however, contrary to popular belief a human cannot directly contract tapeworms from a dog. A dog generally picks this parasite up from consuming infected fleas, therefore it is best to ensure you treat your dog for fleas to prevent tapeworms altogether.
Diagnosis & Symptoms
Tapeworms are one of the easiest parasites to detect and among the most common out of the various other worms a dog may get. Your dog will exhibit signs of weight loss, nervousness, loss in appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Tapeworms in dogs are visible; you will commonly find pieces of the worm (still alive) around the anus and in the fecal matter which looks similar to white rice.
Treatment
The first step in treating is preventing further parasites - this is done by ensuring that your dog is properly treated for fleas so that another parasite will not find it's way into your dog. Treating tapeworms in dogs can be summed up into two stages of severity. In the early stage your dog will still be energetic and playful where a common over-the-counter deworming treatment will disable the parasite in most cases.
Praziquantel(Droncit) is the name of the medication that is used for treating tapeworms which can be purchased from most pet and livestock stores. In the later and more severe stage of tapeworms, your pet may show signs of acute distress, be very inactive and have notable weight loss. In this case you will need to take your pet to a professional veterinarian who will administer the appropriate treatments, generally by injection or a liquid-based chemical that can be ingested. In either of these stages you should still pay close attention to your pets fecal matter to ensure there are no tapeworms in it and that your dog does not continue to show symptoms of tapeworms.
The best way to get rid of pet tapeworms is to prevent them from reaching your pet's belly? How do you do this? The answer is simply not "boarding" your pet. Leaving your pets under the care of pet boarding establishments may be convenient for you, but in reality, it's impossible for these people to check the animals for fleas (or other infestations) before your pet mingles with another dog or cat.
- Cats Ringworm & Tapeworm
All cats will be affected by worms at some point in their life and a great deal will be re-infected unless they're given a routine worming treatment. Eliminating worms is relatively simple and affordable, so regular treatment is strongly recommended, particularly as some types of worm can be passed onto humans.
What sort of worms affect cats?
There are two important types of parasitic worms in cats - roundworms and tapeworms.
Roundworms can grow up to 15 cm long and are white in colour. As their name suggests they're round, whereas tapeworms are flat. Tapeworms can grow up to 60 cm long. Both roundworms and tapeworms live in the cat’s intestines (along with two other types of smaller worm called whip worms and hookworms). These are parasitic worms that can live in the cat’s lungs, heart, stomach or bladder.
How are worms treated?
There are some highly effective treatments that will kill worms. Although not all the products are the same, some work against certain types of worms and others don’t. Your vet will be able to suggest to you which product is best for your cat. Worms are so common that it's safe to assume that all kittens, cats with fleas, and animals which on a regular basis catch wildlife will be infected. Kittens should be treated with wormers every 2 weeks, from the age of 6to 16 weeks, and older cats should be treated about every 3 months. You should discuss with your vet the most appropriate treatment schedule for your pet.
How can I treat roundworms in my cat?
Immature worms can be passed from a mother to her kittens, whilst they're still in the womb or via the milk. Roundworms grow in the intestine of young cats, laying thousands of eggs which pass out in the faeces . Most adult cats develop a level of immunity and don’t pass on the eggs but some continue to do so throughout their life. The eggs can survive for months or even years in the soil before infecting another animal. They find their way into a new host either directly, (when eaten by a cat) or indirectly, (after being swallowed by a rodent which is then eaten by the cat). Immature worms also survive in the tissues of an infected cat and can develop again if a female cat becomes pregnant.
Treatments for roundworms usually kill all adult worms in the intestine but don't have any lasting effect. This means that cats can easily be re-infected. It is not easy to tell if an animal has been re-infected, so treatment should be given on a regular basis to remove any worms present. It is likely that young cats will have roundworms and so treatment should be started at 6 weeks of age and continued at the recommended interval for the product used until adulthood.
How can I treat tapeworms in my cat?Tapeworms anchor themselves by their head to the intestine wall and grow a continuous ribbon of segments, each packed with eggs. The segments gradually break off and are passed out in the faeces. These segments look like grains of rice and may wriggle like a maggot for a short time before they dry up. The most common type of tapeworm moves on to a new cat by way of fleas. Immature fleas pick up infection from cat faeces and cats are then infected if they accidentally swallow an adult flea while grooming themselves. There is also a rarer type of tapeworm which uses mice, other rodents and rabbits to complete its life-cycle. This parasite lies inactive in the muscle or other organs of a small rodent or rabbit and cats are infected if they eat these animals.
How often should I treat my cat?
This depends on each cats individual circumstances. Some cats, ie indoor cats, may never be exposed to worms and so don’t need repeated treatments once worms have been eliminated as a kitten. The products usually used to treat worms do not have any persistent action so pets may become re-infected immediately after treatment. Most vets recommend treating pets every 3-6 months but cats that do a lot of hunting may need to be treated more frequently. You should ask your own vet for advice on the best way to control infection in your pet.
Are any other worms a problem?
There is a kind of roundworm (Angiostrongylus) that can live in the blood vessels of affected cats. Severe infection with this worm can cause lung disease and heart failure but also can result in problems with blood clotting. Some other worms that reside in the lungs or respiratory system can also cause coughing. Special tests are needed to identify infection with these parasites but they can be treated.
Hookworms and whip worms are rarely seen in pet cats in modern countries but may occasionally be seen where large numbers of cats are kept together. Infections with large numbers of worms may result in diarrhea and weight loss. Many of the routine drugs used for removing other worms are also effective against these.How else can I prevent worms?
Apart from regularly worming your pets, there are a number of other measures which can stop worms being passed on from cat to cat, or from cat to people.
• If your cat uses the garden as a toilet, clean up the faeces and bury them or put them inside a sealed bag in the garbage.
• Check your cat for signs of fleas and treat them regularly using a product recommended by your vet. Fleas are more numerous during summer and autumn, although will survive all year round in the right conditions.
• Children will put their fingers and other objects into their mouths and this may bring them into contact with worm eggs. Make sure that they wash their hands after playing in any open areas which may have been used as a toilet by cats. Remember the greatest risk of children being infected with worms is from other children, not your cat.
November 11, 2009
- Dog Tapeworms - An Owner's Guide To Tapeworms In Dogs
Tapeworms in dogs are parasites that invade the intestinal tract. Once there, they attach themselves to the inner walls of the intestine. Unlike hookworms, they don't suck blood. However, they can be transmitted to humans, so dogs should be treated as quickly as possible. You may be wondering how dog tapeworms can be passed along in the first place.
Cause
Once infected, canines shed segments during bowel movements. These segments then release eggs which may be eaten by flea larvae. Dogs can then consume the infected flea whenever they cause itching that makes them lick or chew. Once your dog has swallowed the infected flea, eggs will be released into the digestive system and then hatch.
Symptoms
Dogs with tapeworms don't usually experience noticeable symptoms. You will only know something is amiss if you spot the small, white segments yourself. These segments may be in bedding, carpet, around your dog's anus, or anywhere on his fur.
As the segments dry out, they will turn golden. They start bothering your dog after drying out, so you may notice him licking himself a lot. He will especially lick around the anus. He may even scoot across the floor. Your dog may start vomiting if the worms detach from the intestinal wall and travel into the stomach. Weight loss results if the infection becomes too severe.
Diagnosis
Veterinarians can easily determine if your dog has tapeworms. He will collect a stool sample and examine it under a microscope. The small segments will easily be visible under the microscope. After a definitive diagnosis has been made, treatment will usually begin immediately.
Treatment
There are various ways to treat tapeworms in dogs. The worms can be dissolved by using either oral or injected medications. Treatment also entails eliminating fleas, since they play a vital role in transmission. Fleas can be controlled using powders, collars, or topical ointments.
More on Dog Tapeworms - An Owner's Guide To Tapeworms In Dogs.
November 7, 2009
- Can I Catch A Disease Or Worms From My Puppy?
Dogs and puppies can pass germs, diseases and worms on to people, but it does not occur often. There are certain precautions that you can take to help prevent this from happening. First and foremost, make sure that the dog or puppy you are playing with looks healthy. Do not touch or contact an obviously sick dog. Make sure that your personal dog has regular check ups and is checked for worms by your veterinarian. Look for obvious signs of disease such as spots missing fur on your dog. Hot spots or places that your dog keeps chewing or biting at can be another sign of infection.