Worms

Roundworms are large white worms, with cylindrical bodies.

The adult roundworm lives in the small intestine and feeds on the gut contents of the host.

Roundworm eggs are within the environment, and infect dogs and cats when they are ingested. Puppies can be born with a roundworm infection, and the infection can also be passed to puppies and kittens in the milk of the mother.
Hunting pets are at a high risk of roundworm infection, as they are likely to ingest a rat or a bird host.

Symptoms of roundworm infection in dogs and cats include a pot belly, poor coat, diarrhoea and poor body growth.

Roundworms rarely cause disease in humans, but in some severe cases, the larvae has been known to migrate within the body tissues, then reaching the eye and causing blindness.