Symptoms of Dog Worms

By Jennefer Poultson

One very common ailment in canines is worm infestation. Worms are parasites that dwell inside of your dog and all cause different problems. These symptoms depend upon the kind of worm your dog has. Generally there are five major worm types: hookworms, whipworms, heartworms, roundworms and tapeworms. All of these can cause light to severe complication and must be treated. Take a look at the different kinds of parasites and what each worm does.

The most common type of infestation comes from the roundworm. This parasite is usually passed to puppies from their mothers either before birth or in her breast milk. This intestinal worm can be passed to humans. In dogs, the worm will cause weight loss and a potbellied appearance. Left untreated these worms multiply at an alarming rate. An adult female roundworm can lay up to 200,000 eggs per day for a year. This can cause an obstruction in the dogs' intestinal tract and lead to death. It is recommended that you treat your animals with a regular schedule of de-wormer starting when they are weaned. There are commercial as well as natural treatment options available.

Hookworms are similar to roundworms because they are intestinal parasites. The hookworm is smaller and feeds on blood from your dog's intestinal wall. Hookworm dog worms symptoms are anemia which may lead to death. Some symptoms are not visible in the vomit or stool. To make sure if your dog is infested with hookworms, you must take in a stool sample to your vet for analysis. The hookworm can be passed to humans but it will not cause the same problems as in canines. In humans, the hookworm penetrates just under the skin's surface causing an itchy rash with a worm like appearance.

The tapeworm is so named because of its appearance; it is long and flat looking much like a piece of tape. This type of worm is spread in dogs by the ingestion of an infected flea. For example, the flea feeds off an infected animal picking up the tapeworm egg, and then your pet eats the flea while grooming himself. Symptoms of tapeworm infestation are nervousness, abdominal pain, itching especially around the anus, vomiting and weight loss. If you see any of these symptoms, you may want to seek medical attention.

Whipworms live in the dog's colon and are not viewable by the naked eye. They feed off the dog's intestinal wall and cause many ailments. dog worms symptoms of the whipworm include weight loss, diarrhea which contains mucous or blood, anemia and flatulence. The whipworm is the hardest to get rid of but there are both natural and pharmaceutical treatments available. Our dog, Lucy, not only had parvovirus but was also infected with whipworms. She was treated with an oral medication.

The heartworm is the most serious dog worm. It is passed through the mosquito. If you want your pooch to be heartworm free, you must seek prevention. People who should worry about this will live in warm, damp climates and will have a heavy mosquito population. If your dog becomes infected, there are a few treatment options available. Most of them amount to giving your canine limited doses of arsenic which can kill your pet. The heartworm will make its haven in the heart and its arteries causing it to enlarge and eventually fail. dog worms symptoms of the heartworm include coughing, weight loss and a potbellied appearance. No matter what kind of worm you may be dealing with, seek natural advice or that of your vet. Be proactive for better canine health. Your dog will give you a big lick in appreciation! - 29895

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