How You Know if Your Dog Has Worms
How to tell if your dog has worms and the most effective way to care for it
This article was medically reviewed by Sorin McKnight, DVM, a veterinary at Wellborn Route Veterinary Medical Center in College Station, Texas.
- If your domestic dog has worms, you lot may find pocket-size grain-like worms in their poop.
- Tiny worm eggs may as well be nowadays in your canis familiaris's poop, but these are commonly harder to spot.
- You may also notice behavioral changes in your domestic dog, similar scooting and a decreased appetite.
- Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more than communication.
Intestinal worms, likewise known every bit intestinal parasites, are a common trouble for dogs and dog parents. They tin can come from a diversity of sources and wreak havoc on your dog's gastrointestinal tract. And if worms are not treated, more serious clinical issues tin can ascend.
However, information technology'south not always like shooting fish in a barrel to tell if your dog has worms, which is why it'due south so important to stay on top of your pet's health. Hither are some key signs that may bespeak your dog has worms and how to care for and forestall them in the future.
Signs that your dog has worms
Some key signs that your dog may have worms — especially if it'southward a large worm load — include:
- Diarrhea or soft stool
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Blood in the stool
- Visible worms in feces or vomit
- Distended abdomen
In some cases, yous might find behavioral changes in your canis familiaris, says Travis Arndt, DVM, director of Fauna Medical Center of Mid-America. These may include:
- Frequent licking or irritation around their bottom
- Scooting
- Loss of appetite
Even if your dog is exhibiting these signs, it can still be hard to know if they accept worms or some other gastrointestinal status. In addition to watching out for signs, y'all should besides check for worms in your dog's stool.
In fact, "about intestinal parasites are really identified in a fecal sample by visualization of the parasite eggs in the stool, non visualization of the actual worm," says Mandese calculation that if y'all suspect worms, have a stool sample to your vet for diagnosis.
How practice dogs get worms?
There are 4 main types of intestinal worms in North America, says Mandese. They are:
- Hookworms
- Roundworms
- Tapeworms
- Whipworms
Dogs can go worms from a few different sources:
- Eating worm eggs: Mandese says nearly intestinal parasites are spread if a dog eats the worm eggs that are found in the carrion or vomit of infected animals. This tin occur if your canis familiaris direct eats the carrion or if they ingest contaminated grass, plants, or h2o.
- Eating fleas: Tapeworms, in particular, are spread if your dog ingests fleas infected by tapeworm larvae. This often happens when your dog has infected fleas and then grooms himself by licking his fur. Exist sure to give your dog a flea preventative to reduce the take a chance of this.
- Passed from the mother: They can also be passed from mother to puppy during nativity, says Ann Hohenhaus, DACVIM, staff doctor at New York City'south Beast Medical Center. This is why it's and then crucial for the mother to have keen prenatal care, and to be dewormed with medication if necessary.
How practice you treat a dog with worms?
If your dog does happen to get worms, information technology is treatable. There are different medications available to deworm your dogs.
Some deworming medications are given to the dog for iii to five days while other drugs merely require 1 dosage. Hohenhaus says once the canis familiaris starts medication, they should see results in a few days.
Information technology's important that you care for your domestic dog for worms as soon every bit possible. If yous allow a worm infestation to be untreated for besides long, the worms can multiply and cause serious complications such equally anemia caused past hookworms, intestinal blockages caused by roundworms or severe diarrhea caused by whipworms.
Prevention of worms
You can take preventative measures to make sure your dog doesn't get worms.
- Monthly heartworm medication: You likely give your domestic dog heartworm medication every month already, and this medication likewise contains compounds that are specific to intestinal worms, as well, says Hohenhaus.
- Flea preventative: Since tapeworms almost always spread through fleas, make certain you lot give your canis familiaris a veterinarian-approved flea preventative twelvemonth-round, says Arndt.
- Keep your dog away from contaminated areas: To prevent hookworm and roundworm infections, Arndt says pet parents tin can prevent their dogs from playing in soil that could be contaminated by feces and keeping them abroad from infected rodents.
Insider's takeaway
Worms can certainly be a pesky problem for both the domestic dog and the owner to deal with, but they are preventable and treatable. If you notice any signs that your dog may be ill or if you come across worms in your dog's vomit or stool, it'south crucial that you have them to the vet ASAP to become them taken care of.
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- Veterinarians share 10 things you should never practice to your dog
- nine signs your dog doesn't like y'all, even if you think they do
Source: https://www.insider.com/worms-in-dogs
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