Animals have worms. Often people do too, and we can easily get worms from animals. Not such a nice thought while you’re watching Rover play with your two-year-old on the lawn.

In case you didn't know, you have some serious responsibilties when you bring home for the first time little Rover or cute Puss-Puss - it's not all fun and licks...there are things like house trainingg and de-worming.

So when it comes your pet and to worms, be enligtened, read on...

According to the vet, Rover has Giardia. What is that?
Giardia is a protozoal infection of the intestine. Dogs first get it from other dogs, or from stagnant water. It is quite contagious, especially in poor hygienic conditions. It can also be quite difficult to get rid of the parasite, as no drug is 100% effective. It can be transmitted to people, but you will need to have had contact with animal stools. It results in abdominal pain, cramps and diarrhoea in people. It cannot be prevented by vaccination.

Can we avoid pet worms?
The most important control measure following treatment is absolute hygiene and picking up of stools. Any stagnant water should also be removed. Watch what your children are doing when they are playing outside with the pets. Think about the next time your dog licks your face, are you sure it wasn't somewhere not too healthy just before?

What sort of de-worming product should I use?
One will need to make sure that the de-worming products used are in fact broad spectrum. The common supermarket type of de-worming products will not necessarily kill all worms. It should generally not be necessary to de-worm dogs more than two to four times a year with an effective broad-spectrum de-wormer. Speak to your vet if you are unsure, they are happy to help.

My cat is getting thinner. Could it have worms?
If you haven't already then you should take your cat to the vet for vaccinationation and de-worming.You owe this to your cats, and it is available to those people that cannot afford regular private veterinary services. It is definitely possible that your cat can have worms, and it may cause no symptoms or it may cause vomiting, diarrhoea or weight loss.

My dog east faeces. How can I prevent this?
You can’t watch your dogs all the time. You might have to muzzle them with a big open box muzzle, so they can breathe properly if the problem persists. Dogs are scavengers and will jump at the opportunity for anything that is remotely disgusting to consume. Dogs can easily pick up worms in this manner. It is best to de-worm them every three months – for their safety – and yours.

When should my puppy be vaccinated and dewormed?
Your vet will generally provide you a calendar or timetable for your pets vaccinations. Some will even have you on their mailing list or email list to automatically send out reminders to you when your pet is due for its next set of shots As a guide your puppy should get its first injection at 6 weeks, the second one a month thereafter and the third one another month later. Every time the puppy is vaccinated, it can be de-wormed. After that the puppy will need annual vaccinations and de-worming every three to six months.

Your puppy will probably initially need to be eating three-to-four meals per day - make sure you get the right food for your puppy, there is a differerence - your vet will be able to guide you if you are unsure.