Pets, Worms, and Children

Dogs and cats are born with worms contracted in the mother’s uterus and should first be dewormed at 3 weeks of age. Puppies and kittens also are infected from their mother’s milk and need to be dewormed after they are weaned. Kittens and pups should be dewormed at least four times between 7-16 weeks of age and then rechecked at 6 months and 1 year of age.

This intestinal parasite control program is the one recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) due to the incidence of hookworm and roundworm infections in humans. Under normal situations, it is rare for children to become infected with worms from animals. However, we strongly recommend good sanitation and parasite control to keep you family’s risk at a minimum.