How to identify unknown worms or parasites on a pet
Finding an unexpected moving parasite or worm segment leaves owners unsure whether to worry or immediately see a vet. The confusion often stems from not knowing if the issue is caused by common pests or grubs, which makes it difficult to determine the right treatment for a recently treated pet.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- People have been saying this in most months since September 2026.
- This comes up 24.7× more often in r/Pestcontrol than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
How to identify unknown worms or parasites on a pet
- 1Going to the vet for diagnosis and treatmentDid this help you?
- 2Buying over-the-counter dewormer medication to dose the cat at homeDid this help you?
- 3Throwing the found bugs awayDid this help you?
- 4Guessing potential sources like indoor plants or wood rot based on community adviceDid this help you?
- 5Taking photos of the affected areaDid this help you?
- 6Asking online communities for identification and adviceDid this help you?
- 7trying to gently pull or remove the spotDid this help you?
- 8inspecting the cat's skin and sharing pictures online for adviceDid this help you?
- 9using a bug bombDid this help you?
- 10throwing out items containing standing waterDid this help you?
- 11Taking photos and posting them to online pest control forums for identification.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“It’s not a tick it’s not soft and has no legs.”source ↗
“Is this caused by grubs? Swear I’m battling new pests in Florida constantly.”source ↗
“The best photo I could get. Found during the day, not a fast mover. I’ve seen roaches before but never this type, are they invasive ?”source ↗
“I found several dried ones over the past few weeks and this fresh one.”source ↗
“All of them are around 2 cm long and dark. No better pictures because I freaked out and threw them away.”source ↗
“How come I found so many (ca 5 in 4 weeks) and none before that?”source ↗
“What is this they hurt.”source ↗
“I did a bug bomb in my garage and found lots of roaches, varying in size but a lot look like this. Am I screwed.”source ↗