One day , my dog started to worry me as it had lost its appetite and its coat looked a mess . Definitely something was wrong and as a responsible owner I had to do something. However I didn’t know how to handle the situation .
More problems kept showing up from general body weakness, constipation to seeing moving worms in its faeces. The scene of worms terrified me and got me more worried, my dog was indeed suffering . However due to my little knowledge on worms I didn’t know whether they were roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, or tapeworms.
Common types of intestinal worms in dogs
Round worms: these look like white spaghetti and are very common in puppies. They are transmitted from their mothers and from the environment from which they play.
Hookworms: these attach to the intestines of the dog as they have a hook-like feature that they use to cling to the intestines .
Tapeworms: these worms have a segmented body and are usually long .
I questioned myself to where my dog could have got the worms from , on research I found out
Signs of intestinal worms in dogs .
Visible worms or eggs: When it is severe , worms can be easily seen in the poop of dogs , around the anus or tail.
Bloated or swollen belly: a dog with worms can appear bloated with a pot belly .
Scooting: worms can be itchy around the anus and this causes dogs to drag their anus on the ground to ease the itching . When you see this , it can be a sign of worms .
Digestive issues : a dog with worms will show alot of digestive issues such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Weight loss: a dog will lose weight when it has a severe case of worms since worms eat nutrients the dogs food.
Dull coat: a dry rough and poor looking fur can be seen in dogs with worms .
Low energy/body weakness : if a once playful dog looks tired and less playful than usual , it may be a sign of worms.
Coughing: this is caused by round worm larvae that travel to the lungs thus causing cough.
How dogs get worms .
Most times dogs get worms from just being dogs when they are playing , sniffing and licking . They also get worms from
Contaminated spoil or poop
Eggs from worms like hookworms , tapeworms and whipworms are usually buried in soil and grass waiting for victims . When dogs lick the ground , their paws or fur, eat soil or play around around worm infested areas they can pick up worm eggs which hatch in their bellies .
Fleas.
When fleas attach on the dogs fur , they sometimes carry worm larvae. During grooming, dogs lick their fur and in the process , they can get worm eggs and larvae swallowed. To get rid of fleas , get Simparica Trio chewable
Mother to puppies.
Puppies can also get worms from their mother if she is infested with worms .Hook and tapeworms can be transmitted to puppies through milk or even before birth via the placenta.
Eating infected animals or meat.
This is more frequent in dogs that eat raw meat or hunt some animals such as birds , squirrels and others . When the dog eats raw meat of an animal that was infested with worms , they can get worms in their bodies .
Skin contact .
Dogs that usually play in dirt can get worms easily when they get the worms on their skin. These worms can burrow or attach to fur .
Dangers of worms .
Stunted growth/malnutrition : a dog with worms will grow at a very slow speed since worms consume nutrients from the dog’s food.
Anemia: worms also suck blood from dogs. This will cause severe blood loss and put a dog’s health in danger.
Weight loss : a dog with worms will lose alot of weight at a visible rate .
Diarrhea: this is very common and puts a dog in great danger since it loses alot of fluids.
Generally, worms can cause death in puppies due to malnutrition and anemia. For mature dogs , it creates poor health and makes a dogs life miserable.
However, worms are treatable.
How to treat worms in dogs
Treatment of worms in dogs will depend on factors like
- Dog’s age (differs in puppies and mature dogs)
- Dog’s weight.
- Type of intestinal worms.
The best approach is to take the dog to the vet who will identify the type of worms and diagonise appropriate dosage following the factors above.
If possible , carry the dog’s stool to the vet to help identify the type of worm attacking the dog.
Caution.
Avoid use of human or cattle deworming tablets no matter how convenient it seems . Its very risky since dogs and humans have different anatomies.
Wrong dosage: these maybe either too weak or too strong for a dog to handle. The drugs may be ineffective if too weak and cause health risks if too strong.
Different ingredients: some drugs might contain ingredients that might be unsafe for dogs.
