{"id":589,"date":"2014-09-01T15:20:27","date_gmt":"2014-09-01T15:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phosdev.com\/todaysveterinarypractice\/?p=589"},"modified":"2022-02-16T15:38:17","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T15:38:17","slug":"feline-helminths-capc-recommendations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarypractice.com\/parasitology\/feline-helminths-capc-recommendations\/","title":{"rendered":"Feline Helminths: Recommendations from the Companion Animal Parasite Council"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Rick Marrinson, DVM, and Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVM (Parasitology)<\/em><\/p>\n

Helminth infections, both gastrointestinal and extraintestinal, are remarkably common in cats. Transmission, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed.<\/p>\n

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The mission of the\u00a0Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC)<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>is to foster animal and human health, while preserving the human\u2014animal bond, through recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of parasitic infections. For more information, including detailed parasite control recommendations, please visit\u00a0capcvet.org<\/span>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Helminth infection in cats is remarkably common. Recent surveys have documented helminths in more than 2\/3 of adult cats examined in animal shelters in some areas.1<\/sup>\u00a0The most common nematode of cats,\u00a0Toxocara cati<\/span>, also has zoonotic potential, making control particularly important.<\/p>\n

The high prevalence of infection is often surprising to both veterinarians and parasitologists, in part because fecal flotation may fail to reveal the presence of helminths. An absence of helminth eggs on fecal flotation is especially true for tapeworms; a recent study showed that, in 87% of cats with tapeworms confirmed in the small intestine, eggs were not detected on fecal flotation.1<\/sup><\/p>\n

Dirofilaria immitis<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(heartworm) also infects and causes disease in cats, although diagnostic test results can be difficult to interpret.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

Broad-spectrum anthelmintic products are widely available to protect and treat cats, but their use and acceptance remain limited. To protect feline health and limit environmental contamination with zoonotic parasites, CAPC recommends use of year-round parasite control products in cats throughout all areas of the United States.3<\/sup><\/p>\n

FELINE GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTHS
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Nematodes<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The most common gastrointestinal nematodes among continental North American cats are ascarids (T cati\u00a0<\/span><\/em>and\u00a0Toxascaris leonina<\/span><\/em>) and hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme<\/span>). Other nematodes occasionally seen include\u00a0Physaloptera<\/span><\/em>\u00a0species,\u00a0Strongyloides<\/span><\/em>\u00a0species, and\u00a0Ollulanus tricuspis<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Ascarids<\/span>.<\/strong> Cats acquire infection with ascarids by ingestion of larvated eggs from the environment or ingestion of rodents or birds that have ingested eggs. In some surveys,\u00a0T cati<\/span>\u00a0eggs are identified by fecal flotation in as many as 35% of cats, and necropsy surveys place the prevalence even higher.4,5<\/sup><\/p>\n

Kittens infected with\u00a0T cati<\/span><\/em>\u00a0may have a pot-bellied appearance and general ill thrift; adult cats also commonly harbor infection. Migration of adult\u00a0T cati<\/span><\/em>\u00a0into the stomach irritates the mucosa, resulting in vomiting, and\u00a0T cati<\/span><\/em>\u00a0are commonly found in feline vomitus. The other feline ascarid,\u00a0T leonina<\/span><\/em>, is less common than\u00a0T cati<\/span><\/em>\u00a0and not thought to be associated with clinical disease.3<\/sup><\/p>\n

Hookworms<\/span>.<\/strong> The hookworm, A\u00a0tubaeforme<\/span><\/em>, is found in the small intestine of cats and has been associated with anemia and weight loss;\u00a0Ancylostoma braziliense<\/span>\u00a0also occurs but is much less common in the United States.<\/p>\n

Cats become infected with hookworms upon ingestion of larvae or ingestion of rodent paratenic hosts; unlike with dogs and\u00a0Ancylostoma caninum<\/span>, transmammary transmission with A\u00a0tubaeforme<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is not known to occur.3<\/sup><\/p>\n

Diagnosis<\/span>.<\/strong> Infection with ascarids and hookworms can often be diagnosed by fecal flotation. To ensure adequate sensitivity to allow detection, CAPC recommends that fecal flotation be performed by centrifugation, using an adequate sample size. However, eggs cannot be detected if only a single sex of worm is present or the nematodes are immature and, thus, prepatent.<\/p>\n

Eggs of\u00a0T cati<\/span><\/em>\u00a0are spherical and surrounded by a thick, roughly pitted shell (Figure 1<\/span><\/strong>), while eggs of A\u00a0tubaeforme<\/span><\/em>\u00a0are oval and smooth shelled and contain a developing embryo (Figure 2<\/span><\/strong>). The prepatent period for\u00a0T cati<\/span>\u00a0is 4 to 5 weeks, while that of A\u00a0tubaeforme<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is 2 to 3 weeks.<\/p>\n

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Figure 1. Egg of Toxocara cati; note the pitted shell and dark appearance.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Figure 2. Thin-shelled oval egg of Ancylostoma tubaeforme.<\/p><\/div>\n

Treatment<\/span>.<\/strong> Both ascarids and hookworms are readily treated with several different anthelmintics, including pyrantel, emodepside, milbemycin, moxidectin, and selamectin; the topical formulation of some of these compounds facilitates administration to cats.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

Cestodes<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Historically, adult tapeworms in the intestinal tract have not been thought to cause significant clinical disease in cats. However:<\/p>\n