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WORMS IN THE URINARY TRACT !

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk  


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Worms are usually associated with the gastrointestinal tract, but some worms infect the urinary tract !

The small thread-like worm Capillaria plica can live in the urinary bladder, kidneys or ureters of dogs, foxes and cats. It is not a very common  infection, but it has been reported to occur in Europe and North America. These worms can be upto 6cm in length and part of the lifestage involves earthworms, so our domesticated cats and dogs become infected when they eat an infected earthworm carrying the infective larval stage.

A similar parasite Capillaria felis cati infects the urinary bladder of cats and is very common in some parts of the world - especially in Australia where upto 30% of cats are infected.

Signs associated with these parasites include typical signs of cystitis or urethritis :

  • Increased frequency of urination
  • Increased thirst - sometimes
  • Blood in the urine
  • Difficulty passing urine

Diagnosis - is confirmed by finding typical Capillaria eggs in urine OR adult worms in the urinary tract

Treatment - Fenbendazole 25mg/kg body weight twice daily for 10 days 

 

Updated October 2013