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Roundworms??

Posted By: CharmedSuggies

Roundworms?? - 01/28/10 08:08 PM

I was asked about this issue by a customer who overheard at their vets office about someones glider having roundworms.

1. How do they get it?

2. What meds should be given for this?

3. Are there any signs gliders show when they have this (other than testing)?

4. Is this common for gliders to get?

5. What about Ringworms as well?
Posted By: suggiemom1980

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/28/10 08:21 PM

I think this might help answer your questions.
The necessity and importance of fecal testing
Posted By: suggiemom1980

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/28/10 08:25 PM

This has a lot of good information too.
Parasite information
Posted By: CharmedSuggies

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/28/10 08:29 PM

thanks connie!
Posted By: BindiAndScrubbie

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/28/10 09:12 PM

I just thought I'd pop in here to say that when I got Phoebe a year ago, she came to me with roundworms. I was very surprised as she showed no signs at all. She was healthy looking, acted normal and her poop looked fine. But she was positive for the strongyle (spelling?) type. My vet said it wasn't bee pollen and explained to me of all the ways a glider can get roundworms. It's a little scary really, to me at least, that roundworms can come into your home via other animals. Roundworms are sticky, if your cat or dog has them and walks around the area your gliders walk...well there you go, a transfer can happen. The vet told me that even if your dog is current with de-wormings but you visit a dog park, the dog can pick them up from the soil, carry them home on his feet...again, a transfer can happen. Also, they can come in simply on the skins of fruits and veggies from any grocery or produce store. That's why even though I peel my fruits, I still give them a good, thorough washing first.

I hope this helps and sorry if I repeated something in those threads posted up there...I didn't read them entirely. lol
Posted By: sprocketlover

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 01:07 AM

Those articles were very interesting and got me thinking....my dogs and cat get de-wormed twice a year as part of their health plan. Is this something that the glider community should be doing also as a precautionary measure? Just a thought.
Posted By: Cora

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 01:14 AM

I dont know if we should just give their tiny little bodies worm medicine unless they have worms. Thats why many get their gliders fecals and checkup every 6 months to 1 year.

I have a glider that takes medicine every day, I hate giving that medication to his little body cause I dont know what I am doing to his liver as gliders are prone to liver issues anyway. But hes a mutilator and we are beating the odds so hey its better than the alternative!!!

This is a good thread though and I will be watching it to see what I can learn. smile
Posted By: ValkyrieMome

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 01:27 AM

If you feed a diet which contains bee pollen, make sure the vet knows that when running the fecal sample.

Round Worm eggs and bee pollen apparently look extremely similar under a microscope.
Posted By: CharmedSuggies

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 02:11 AM

It is not recommended to treat a glider who is not sick. That can cause problems that were never there. My vet has the HPW recipe in my file so he knows and can refer to it if he doesn't remember.

I try to get fecals and UA's done everyother month and their full wellness exam every 6 mths.

I've just recently heard about this roundworm problem and though it should be addressed.
Posted By: Cora

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 02:20 AM

I dont have time to go through health and hygiene, or they may be gone but this is not a new thing. Maybe those that have some experience with this can shed some light on it............lemme go find em...........
Posted By: snowbabygliders

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 02:52 AM

1. how do they get it?

fecal to oral route, from an owner's hands having contact with it, feeder insects such as crickets, unwashed veggies, pet feces such as a litter box or their paws immediatley after using a litter box etc. ( good idea to routinely have your cats and dogs fecaled.

2. what meds should be given for this?

panacur is usually the med of choice. its a relatively safe medication. It basically paralyzes the parasite for it to be passed. cage needs to be cleaned after each dose IMO. only use the med under the direct supervision of a vet. Roundworms survive best in moist environments than in dry unlike giardia that can survive quite a long time in a dry environment.

3. any signs?

yes and no. depends on the overload of the parasite. They can get loose stools from it, discoloration of stool from what a normal stool would look like, discomfort

4.it is common for any animal/pet to get them if in contact including homo sapiens. best defense is to wash fruits and veggies, dont touch things like a litter box immediately before handling suggies, wash hands before and after playing with suggies. its great to have a bottle of hand sanitizer right outside the suggie room IMO. you can bring roundworm in from outside while gardening etc. awareness is the best prevention along with hand washing. fecal routinely atleast 2x per year. sanitize hands between each cage to prevent any possible roundworm outbreak in one cage from transferring to the next. its far easier to treat 2 gliders than 10 if you catch my drift;)

does this mean that the glider is always going to have a high risk of infection. no. not if you are aware of how it can be transferred etc like i stated above. Will you likely experience it sometime in the gliders life, sure. its a good possibility.

5.ringworm is not a parasite. it is a fungus that affects the skin. it gets its name for a scabby ringlike appearance and usually itches with possible loss of hair in the area for the moment until treated. very contagious however.not as common in gliders IMO. if you notice ringworm on yourself, its easy to treat. Can come from household pets....children who are in wrestling etc.

hope this helps some?
Posted By: StitchsMom

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 04:55 AM

Originally Posted By: CharmedSuggies
It is not recommended to treat a glider who is not sick.
Concerning use of panacur, my vet said otherwise. When I was worried about the possibility of a parasite outbreak some time ago (some members may recall that chaos), even though my glider tested negative, he suggested I treat all of my sugar gliders (four joeys included) as a precaution and that it was perfectly safe.

He did not say anything about treating gliders regularly. I just had reason for concern and we both wanted to play it safe. DO NOT treat a glider(s) without prior consultation with a sugar glider knowledgeable vet! If I have any reason to think my gliders have any sort of issue, I always speak with my veterinarian first and arrange a visit. I only dosed my gliders under his direct supervision.
Posted By: snowbabygliders

Re: Roundworms?? - 01/29/10 05:23 AM

Originally Posted By: StitchsMom
Originally Posted By: CharmedSuggies
It is not recommended to treat a glider who is not sick.
Concerning use of panacur, my vet said otherwise. When I was worried about the possibility of a parasite outbreak some time ago (some members may recall that chaos), even though my glider tested negative, he suggested I treat all of my sugar gliders (four joeys included) as a precaution and that it was perfectly safe.

He did not say anything about treating gliders regularly. I just had reason for concern and we both wanted to play it safe. DO NOT treat a glider(s) without prior consultation with a sugar glider knowledgeable vet! If I have any reason to think my gliders have any sort of issue, I always speak with my veterinarian first and arrange a visit. I only dosed my gliders under his direct supervision.
i agree thumb
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