{"id":5364,"date":"2026-10-21T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/?p=5364"},"modified":"2026-09-29T20:26:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T20:26:41","slug":"quels-parasites-prevenir-chez-le-chien-et-le-chat-au-quebec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/quels-parasites-prevenir-chez-le-chien-et-le-chat-au-quebec\/","title":{"rendered":"What parasites to prevent in dogs and cats in Quebec?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dogs and cats living in Montreal and throughout Quebec are exposed to several internal parasites, even when residing primarily indoors. While intestinal worms such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms remain the most prevalent, dirofilariasis\u2014commonly known as heartworm disease\u2014is also transmitted by mosquitoes during the summer months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The frequency of deworming administration varies depending on your pet's age, lifestyle, predatory behavior, and travel history outside the province. There is no one-size-fits-all protocol: the preventive strategy must be tailored alongside your veterinary care team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several intestinal parasites are also zoonoses capable of infecting humans, especially children and immunocompromised individuals. Targeted protection is simpler, safer, and far less costly than medically managing an advanced clinical infestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1230\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Parasites-chien-chat.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Parasites-chien-chat.jpg 1230w, https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Parasites-chien-chat-300x166.jpg 300w, https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Parasites-chien-chat-1024x566.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Parasites-chien-chat-768x425.jpg 768w, https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Parasites-chien-chat-18x10.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1230px) 100vw, 1230px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>What internal parasites are found in Quebec?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Internal parasites diagnosed in companion animals fall into two major medical categories:<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Parasite<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Transmission route<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Common clinical signs<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Human zoonotic risk<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Roundworms (ascarids)<\/strong><\/td><td>Ingestion of environmental eggs in soil or maternal transmission to offspring.<\/td><td>Often asymptomatic, potbellied appearance, diarrhea, stunted growth.<\/td><td>Yes (visceral or ocular larva migrans in children).<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Hookworms<\/strong><\/td><td>Percutaneous skin penetration or ingestion of infective larvae in contaminated soil.<\/td><td>Liquid diarrhea, anemia, lethargy, and weight loss.<\/td><td>Yes (cutaneous larva migrans causing intense pruritus).<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Whipworms<\/strong><\/td><td>Ingestion of microscopic, highly resistant environmental eggs.<\/td><td>Chronic mucoid diarrhea, hematochezia (fresh blood), dehydration.<\/td><td>Very low.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Tapeworms (cestodes)<\/strong><\/td><td>Ingestion of infected fleas during grooming or consumption of prey.<\/td><td>Rice-grain-like segments visible around the perianal area or on stool surface.<\/td><td>Low depending on the specific tapeworm species involved.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Heartworm<\/strong><\/td><td>Bites from mosquitoes carrying infective microfilariae larvae.<\/td><td>Chronic coughing, exercise intolerance, congestive cardiopulmonary failure.<\/td><td>No.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>Can an indoor cat or dog contract worms?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, living exclusively indoors does not guarantee complete protection against parasite exposure:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Footwear and outdoor clothing can track microscopic roundworm eggs from urban sidewalks directly onto living room floors;<\/li>\n<li>Accidental ingestion of a flea hitchhiking inside the home can transmit tapeworms to a cat during normal grooming;<\/li>\n<li>Predatory hunting of an occasional indoor mouse or insect exposes the pet to encysted tissue larvae;<\/li>\n<li>Mosquitoes slipping past window screens can inoculate infective heartworm larvae when taking a blood meal;<\/li>\n<li>Transplacental and transmammary transmission means virtually all puppies and kittens are born harboring dormant parasite burdens.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>What are the zoonotic transmission risks to humans?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certain intestinal parasites can cross species boundaries and infect human family members. Toddlers\u2014who frequently exhibit hand-to-mouth behaviors after playing in sandboxes or public parks\u2014and immunocompromised individuals face higher susceptibility.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ingested roundworm larvae can migrate through internal viscera (liver, lungs) or ocular tissues, leading to serious visual impairment. Hookworm larvae can penetrate bare skin, provoking marked cutaneous inflammation and dermatitis. These risks are readily mitigated by prompt daily feces removal, hand hygiene, and structured veterinary deworming protocols.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>How often should a dewormer be administered?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dosing schedules are established based on the individual patient's life stage and environmental exposure risks:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Puppies and kittens:<\/strong> Treatments administered every 2 to 3 weeks starting at 2 weeks of age until 3 months old, then monthly until 6 months of age to interrupt recurring lifecycle shedding;<\/li>\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Adult dogs in urban parks or dog runs:<\/strong> Monthly combination prevention covering both gastrointestinal parasites and heartworm throughout the warm season, supplemented with targeted protocols for hunting behaviors;<\/li>\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Strictly indoor cats:<\/strong> Individualized risk evaluations generally recommending 2 to 4 annual preventative doses or routine screening tests;<\/li>\n<li class=\"translation-block\"><strong>Active hunters or raw-fed pets:<\/strong> Intensified protocols incorporating specific cestocidal coverage against rodent-transmitted tapeworms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>What is the difference between a dewormer and heartworm prevention?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a critical clinical distinction: standard gastrointestinal dewormers (targeting roundworms, hookworms, or tapeworms within the digestive tract) provide zero protection against cardiovascular dirofilariasis.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heartworm prevention requires specific active pharmaceutical ingredients administered via monthly chewable tablets or topical spot-on applications. In Quebec, treatment typically commences in the spring as mosquitoes emerge and continues through late autumn, clearing transmitted microfilariae before they mature into adult worms within the pulmonary arteries.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>Why perform a fecal analysis (coprology)?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph translation-block\">Microscopic fecal flotation testing identifies parasite ova, oocysts, and cysts invisible to the naked eye, including protozoa like <em>Giardia<\/em> or coccidia that do not respond to standard dewormers.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This diagnostic test is particularly valuable during episodes of persistent diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, when evaluating newly adopted pets, or when confirming post-treatment therapeutic clearance.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-bottom:6px;padding-bottom:22px;font-size:18px\"><summary><strong>What are the most common misconceptions about parasites?<\/strong><\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several widespread myths can compromise pet health:<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Common misconception<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Veterinary medical reality<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>No visible worms means no parasite infection<\/td><td>The vast majority of worms and shed eggs remain microscopic in the stool.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A single treatment protects the pet for the entire year<\/td><td>Dewormers clear active parasitic burdens at the moment of dosing but provide no prolonged residual shield.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Home remedies (garlic, pumpkin seeds) are sufficient<\/td><td>These approaches have zero proven clinical efficacy, and garlic is toxic to canine and feline red blood cells.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>All dewormers eliminate the same parasite species<\/td><td>Each active molecule possesses a distinct therapeutic spectrum requiring targeted medical selection.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Intestinal worms are widespread throughout Quebec and can infect strictly indoor pets.<\/li>\n<li>Heartworm disease is a severe mosquito-borne condition requiring distinct preventative medication from general dewormers.<\/li>\n<li>A large number of infected companion animals display no overt outward clinical signs.<\/li>\n<li>Certain gastrointestinal parasites are zoonoses capable of infecting young children and immunocompromised individuals.<\/li>\n<li>A tailored preventive deworming schedule delivers effective protection while preventing unnecessary medication overuse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tailored parasite prevention at Velvet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph translation-block\">At <strong>Velvet<\/strong>, we design comprehensive antiparasitic protocols founded on your pet's real-world lifestyle, home environment, and travel habits. Our team assesses your household's specific risk profile to prescribe safe, targeted preventive therapies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We perform point-of-care fecal examinations for recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms and guide you through administering preventive treatments against heartworm, ticks, and intestinal worms to preserve your companion's lifelong health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/capcvet.org\/guidelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC)<\/a> \u2013 <em>General Guidelines for Internal and External Parasite Control<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartwormsociety.org\/veterinary-resources\/american-heartworm-society-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Heartworm Society (AHS)<\/a> \u2013 <em>Canine and Feline Heartworm Disease Guidelines<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aaha.org\/resources\/canine-life-stage-guidelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)<\/a> \u2013 <em>Canine and Feline Preventive Healthcare Guidelines<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.merckvetmanual.com\/digestive-system\/gastrointestinal-parasites-of-small-animals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Merck Veterinary Manual<\/a> \u2013 <em>Internal and Intestinal Parasites of Dogs and Cats<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esccap.org\/guidelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP)<\/a> \u2013 <em>Worm Control in Dogs and Cats: Guidelines for Treatment<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/parasites\/animals.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a> \u2013 <em>Healthy Pets, Healthy People: Zoonotic Parasite Prevention<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:80px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vermifugation du chien et du chat \u00e0 Montr\u00e9al : d\u00e9couvrez quels vers intestinaux et parasites pr\u00e9venir, les risques de zoonoses et les conseils de Velvet.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5457,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prevention-sante"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5364"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5484,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5364\/revisions\/5484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetsanteanimale.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}