Good question. So let's start as a kitten. Most kittens and puppies will get what we call roundworms and hookworms. They can get those from mama cat or mama dog. They can get them through the placenta. They migrate into the body and through the placenta before they're born, or they can get them through the milk while they're nursing. Adult cats can continue to get roundworms and hookworms, but those are a problem for outside cats, and they get them from going out and grazing. A lot of cats, of course, will eat grass, which would be how they would get it as an adult cat. And then the other type of worm we see are what we call tapeworms. They get tapeworms from either ingesting a flea or eating a small mammal. Those are the three types of worms that we see.

Intestinal parasites include intestinal worms, plus there's a sort of a separate category, what we would call intestinal parasites. I'll give you the breakdown. What's the difference between intestinal parasites and intestinal worms? Intestinal worms would be brown worms, hookworms, and tapeworms. Those are the three that we're most likely going to see in cats. Then we have two other types of organisms there. If you think back to eighth-grade biology, you're looking under the microscope or drop of water, and you see this little single-celled organism swimming around. Well, there are two of those. One is called coccidia and the others call Giardia, which we also see in cats, but those are not worms. They are just intestinal parasites, just these little single-celled organisms. I want to make that distinction. When we use a dewormer, we're just getting rid of the worms. If we see either one of these two intestinal parasites, each of them has its own unique medication to eliminate them.

Yes, definitely. Without a doubt, a dog becoming less active is a critical sign that something's not right. You do need to get them to your veterinarian as soon as possible. The possibilities could be pain, becoming anemic, and heart problems. There are so many possibilities why a dog becomes less active, so bring them in.

I recommend that senior dogs avoid jumping and twisting behaviors like playing ball, which can be rough when you think about how the dog runs and then slams on the brakes and turns and twists. I'm not a fan of frisbee throwing for any dog age, as well as running alongside a bicycle. I think there are very few dogs that can do that safely without getting overheated or injuring themselves. It's not a good exercise method. I do think there are a few dogs that do that really well, but it's very rare. Again, for senior dogs, regular and moderate exercise is the best.

Senior dogs just want to be with us. If a dog is used to getting a daily walk, and he's at the age of 15, 16, or 17, he still wants to go out, sniff around, and feel like a dog. So making sure that he has those things to stimulate his brain and give him a high quality of life is really important.

It's so important. I tell my clients it is the most important thing you can do for them to have the longest life possible. You have total control over keeping them thin and giving them moderate daily exercise. A healthy diet is essential too. Those are three of the most important things. I highly recommend daily exercise for your senior pet, but it has to be regular and moderate.