Parasites in Pets: From Creepy Crawlers to Serious Health Risks

Few pet owners forget the shock of finding parasites. Maybe you’ve seen squirming worms in your puppy’s stool, a tick crawling across your couch after hitching a ride on your dog, or felt a flea bite in your own home. These experiences aren’t just disgusting- they’re reminders that parasites can harm your pet’s health and even affect your family’s well-being.

At Southern Crossing Animal Hospital in Memphis, we know prevention is always easier (and less expensive) than treatment. Our AAHA-accredited and Fear Free Certified team takes a concierge-style approach to parasite protection, tailoring every plan to your pet’s lifestyle. With advanced diagnostics, same-day testing, and customized wellness care, we make parasite detection and prevention as stress-free as possible.

Fleas: Fast Multipliers and Health Threats

Fleas thrive in Memphis’s warm, humid climate. Once inside your home, they’re difficult to eliminate because their life cycle- from eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults- can take months to break.

Adding to the challenge, many fleas are now resistant to older over-the-counter products. That’s why veterinary-prescribed preventives are far more effective and are what we recommend.

Fleas can:

At our hospital, same-day parasite testing through our diagnostic laboratory allows us to confirm infestations quickly, and our team will guide you on long-term treatment, environmental cleaning, and prevention.

Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases

Ticks carry serious diseases and can transmit them within hours of attachment. Tennessee is a tick paradise.

  • Lyme disease in dogs causes fever, lameness, swollen joints, and kidney disease.
  • Other diseases include ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

The CDC’s prevention guide stresses daily tick checks and year-round prevention. Our veterinarians follow proven tick prevention protocols tailored to pets in the Memphis area. We may recommend oral, topical, or collar options- and for pets regularly in tick-infested areas, we may recommend all three.

Worms and Intestinal Parasites

Seeing worms in your pet’s stool is unpleasant, and unfortunately very common. Intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms often affect puppies and kittens. Roundworms can pass before birth or during nursing, which is why parasite testing and deworming are part of our puppy and kitten care programs.

Common signs include diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, anemia, or visible worms. Some parasites, like roundworms and hookworms, are zoonotic and can infect people. To reduce risk, avoid walking barefoot where pets defecate and discourage pets from licking faces.

Another intestinal parasite, giardia, is notoriously hard to clear. Pets can reinfect themselves by grooming, and multiple rounds of treatment may be necessary.

Routine fecal testing through our comprehensive wellness care is the safest way to catch these issues early.

Heartworm: Silent but Deadly

Heartworm disease, spread by mosquitoes, is one of the most serious parasitic threats to pets. Worms grow inside the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, leading to irreversible organ damage and, if untreated, death.

Heartworm symptoms include coughing, fatigue, and weight loss. The Heartworm Prevalence Map confirms cases in every U.S. state, especially mosquito-infested Tennessee. Mosquitos don’t just disappear in the winter. Heartworm can be spread any month of the year, since mosquitos like to move into our homes and live in damp basements or other warm areas in the winter.

Treatment is lengthy, risky, and available only for dogs. No safe cure exists for cats, making prevention essential. Our tailored prevention plans are reviewed during annual examinations and vaccinations.

Mites in Dogs and Cats

Mites in dogs and cats may be tiny, but their impact is big:

  • Demodex mites cause mange, which appears as patchy hair loss in puppies or immune-compromised pets. It’s more common in large breed puppies, like Pitbulls or Rottweilers.
  • Sarcoptes mites (scabies) also cause mange in any age of pet, and will cause intense itching, crusting, and can spread to people.
  • Ear mites trigger ear infections, especially in cats. Ear mites are relatively rare in dogs.

Because mites are invisible without testing, we use in-house cytology and imaging to diagnose them quickly.

Trematodes and Lung Flukes

Some parasites are less common but still dangerous. Pets can acquire trematodes or flukes by eating raw fish, crayfish, or snails.

Our advanced ultrasound and echocardiogram technology can help identify organ changes linked to these infections.

Parasites That Affect Families Too

Parasites aren’t just a pet problem. Zoonotic parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and giardia also affect people, especially children or immunocompromised individuals.

Reduce risk by:

  • Practicing regular handwashing
  • Keeping yards and litter boxes clean
  • Avoiding barefoot walks in contaminated areas
  • Discouraging pets from licking mouths or faces

How We Diagnose Parasites at Southern Crossing

Our in-house diagnostic laboratory and advanced imaging allow us to detect parasites quickly and accurately. Diagnostics may include:

  • Fecal testing for worms and giardia
  • Bloodwork for heartworm or systemic illness
  • Skin scrapings and ear cytology for mites
  • Imaging to assess organ changes from advanced infections- like echocardiograms for heartworm infection

With fast turnaround times, we can begin treatment immediately and protect both pets and families from complications.

The Value of Prevention

Parasites are frustrating, harmful, and sometimes dangerous, but the good news is that prevention works. The importance of year-round parasite prevention is clear: it protects your pet, your family, and your home.

At Southern Crossing Animal Hospital, our wellness care programs and personalized parasite plans are designed to keep pets parasite-free at every stage of life. From puppy and kitten care to senior pet health, we make sure prevention is stress-free and effective.

If you have questions about parasites or your pet is showing concerning signs, our team is here to help with same-day urgent care during open hours.

Southern Crossing Animal Hospital, 614 Minor St., Memphis, TN 38111
Call us at (901) 452-3171 or request an appointment online.

With AAHA standards, Fear Free handling, and concierge-level care, we’ll help your pet and your family stay protected from parasites year-round.