Whipworms

Whipworms are an intestinal parasite that invades the large intestine of infected dogs. Whipworm infection is rare in cats and is not transmissible to people. Dogs acquire whipworm infections by ingesting infective whipworm eggs from the environment. Symptoms of whipworm infection vary from asymptomatic to signs associated with large intestinal inflammation: soft stools, straining to defecate, or diarrhea that contains mucous and fresh blood. Severe whipworm infections can be debilitating and cause profound metabolic abnormalities. Diagnosis of a whipworm infection requires demonstration of the whipworm eggs in the feces. Multiple fecal examinations may be necessary as whipworms shed small numbers of eggs intermittently making detection difficult. Your veterinarian will prescribe a deworming medication for your pet to eliminate the infection. Be sure to follow medication directions carefully as this parasite requires multiple treatments. Treatment of whipworms must also include decontamination of the environment; your veterinarian will discuss the best strategy with you.