Dogs and cats pick up parasites on their paws when they frequent paths where other animals have eliminated. If you have experienced a bout with parasites/worms in your pet; they can also reinfect themselves if you continue to expose your pet to the same area to do his business as worms live in the ground up to 6 months! Many times when you witness your pet licking their paws; it usually is a sign and they may be ingesting the parasite at that time. Parasites can also be transmitted by insects and other means. Of course, dogs and cats (and humans) all have parasites all the time and a healthy system keeps them in check. A vibrant, healthy animal functions in a way that their well being allows the body to do its job effectively and it will not fall into a symptomatic state.
One of the ways to know if your pet has parasites is to look for particular signs: excessive paw licking and ear discharge are two of the most common. Hot spots, butt dragging, poor coat and shaking of their head also are misdiagnosed signs. Quite frankly, anything that happens on a regular cycle (every three weeks, approximately) can be attributed to a parasite, let me repeat that, anything that happens on a regular cycle (every three weeks, approximately) can be attributed to a parasite. If you notice something out of the ordinary, jot it down on your calendar; this way you can easily refer back as you accumulate data and determine for yourself before running off to the veterinarian and spend hundreds of dollars. Relax, just because your animal may have parasites is not a reason to panic! Instead, you may ask about