Worms, Part Two

In the other article on worms, we talked about how to tell if your cat has Tapeworm, Roundworm or Hookworm, the most common types. In this article, we’ll talk about how to tell if your cat has Giardia, Whipworm, and Coccidia, which are not as common, but still can be a problem.

Giardia

Signs to look for in your cat can range from none, in very rare cases, to mild recurring diarrhea, with soft, light-colored stools, to, in severe cases, explosive diarrhea. Other signs that can be present are poor appetite, mucus in the stool, listlessness, and weight loss. These signs are not specific to giardiasis because they are also present with other problems in the intestinal tract. To get a positive identification of these organisms, the cat will need to be given a thorough exam by a vet.

Whipworm

Finding the eggs in the feces is what to look for with whipworm. The eggs look similar to those of the bladder worm and C. aerophilia, a parasite of the respiratory system, so a vet must be consulted to detemine which type of egg is being found in the cat’s feces.

Examining stool samples from cats takes special care. Feline whipworms have parasites whose eggs look like those of rodents and mice. If a cat ingests an infected prey animals, the eggs can pass undigested through the cat’s intestine, to show up in the cat feces. It’s possible that an inaccurate diagnosis of whipworm infection could result in this case.

Coccidia

Diarrhea is the primary sign of a cat suffering from coccidiosis. Depending on the level of infection, the diarrhea may be mild or severe. In advanced cases, blood and mucous may be present. Severely affected animals may also lose their appetite become dehydrated,, vomit, and in extreme cases, die from the disease.

Kittens from four to twelve weeks old are the most common cats to have Coccidia. When a loose stool or diarrhea is encountered in a cat this age, the possibility of coccidiosis should always be considered. A microscopic fecal exam by a veterinarian is required to detect the cysts to actually confirm a diagnosis.