Worms Don’t Just Live in the Ground
One of the most disturbing things you can discover is that a loved one has had a worm living inside them. Just ask the mother of my grandson. He had been playing with the neighbor’s potbellied pig and they discovered he had become infected.
It is much more common for pets to get worms. Both dogs and cats are susceptible. They are usually infected by something they eat or in the case of kittens, through the milk of the mother cat.
What to Look For:
If you find your pet is losing weight and their fur is dry and rough, they may have a worm. They also might appear weak with constant diarrhea. In some cases, the animal will develop an extended belly. These may indicate worms and require a visit to the vet.
Common sense practices are the best protection for keeping worms away from your pets. Keep the place where they live clean and remove their waste regularly. Wash and disinfect their food and water bowls frequently.
Read More: This Wet Year In Utah Can Be Surprisingly Harmful To Your Pets
If you live next to an area with wild animals, be aware of what your pet stops to eat. Wild rabbits and other rodents carry worms and will leave them in their droppings. Rancid meat can also be a source of worm eggs.
If you are worried about conditions beyond your control, the vet can give you a good de-wormer. Do this regularly and all should be fine. And if you have pigs around, no matter how cute, maybe keep the little kids away.
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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet’s phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.
Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.
Gallery Credit: Rachel Cavanaugh
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Gallery Credit: Katherine Gallagher
