Dog Worms

The internal parasites that cause many dog health problems and even have the risk of getting transferred to a human host are called dog worms. There are many different types of worms in dogs that may infect our pets. However, it is not always very easy to spot these worms and their symptoms. Most of the time the symptoms are not observed till the infection takes a serious turn.

Infection and Symptoms

There are five types of worms that may infect a dog's digestive system, that is the intestines. We shall have an overview of these worms and their symptoms, before narrowing down to some of the common symptoms.

Roundworms (Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina)
There are many types of roundworm parasites of which Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina are the most common worms. There are different types of roundworms that infect humans, dogs, horses and even pigs. However, roundworms are a dangerous lot as they can be transmitted to a human host from the animal source. They can be contracted by ingestion of dirt contaminated with dog feces containing the larvae and eggs of the worm. In one gram of dog stool, there may be over 10,000 roundworm eggs. Dogs are infected with roundworms by eating dirt containing the eggs. Puppies are infected in the womb of an infected mother. Roundworms feed on the partially digested food present in the dogs intestine. These worms can be seen in stools of a heavily infested dog. They have slender bodies and look like spaghetti noodles.

Hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum)
These intestinal worms in dogs are just 12 to 15 mm in size. They are smaller than the roundworms and hook on the intestinal walls of the infected animal. They ravenously consume huge amounts of blood of the poor animal. Hookworm infections in puppies can cause death before one is even able to diagnose the condition. Hookworm eggs are passed on to healthy animals from dirt where an infected animal had passed stools. Puppies get the infection from their infected mother. Hookworms are extremely contagious and can be passed on to other animals as well as humans. The symptoms of worms in dogs include anemia, blood stools, rectal bleeding, dry skin and irritated dog skin.

Tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum)
The long, flat, ribbon shaped worms are called tapeworms. These live in the intestines of the host. They are transmitted by eating a flea that may have eaten a flea. Tapeworm in dogs may also be transmitted to a dog who eats a rabbit that may have eaten a tapeworm egg. If you have a look at the tapeworm anatomy, you will notice it does not have a mouth. Instead it absorbs food through its skin. It attaches itself to the intestine wall by suckers and hooks on its head. Symptoms in case of tapeworms include itchiness near the anus, restlessness and abdominal pain in dogs.

Whipworms (Trichuris vulpis)
The long, whip shaped worms are called whip worms found in the canine colon. These worms bury their very long necks into the intestinal walls while feeding. They get into a healthy dog system by ingestion of eggs shed by infected dogs. The symptoms of whipworm infection includes the following:

• Anemia
• Lethargy
• Flatulence
• Bloody, slimy stools
• Excessive weight loss

Heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis)
Heartworms infection is very dangerous and one needs to seek immediate medical care for this infection. These affect the respiratory system of the animal. These parasites are present in blood vessels of the dog's heart. This causes problems with the heart functions leading to many problems. The heartworms in dogs are transmitted through mosquito bites. There are specific heartworm symptoms as follows:

• Hacking cough
• Fainting spells
• Malaise
• Weakness
• High blood pressure
• Congestive heart failure

The general symptoms that one should watch out for are as follows:

• Excessive or abnormal coughing
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Decrease in energy
• Pot bellied appearance
• Weight loss with protruding stomach
• Dull coat
• Dry nose
• Red pimples on skin
• Pale lips and gums
• Watery eyes
• Bad breath or 'puppy breath'
• Scruffy coat

Treatment

When one suspects infestation, it is important to seek veterinarian help. The veterinarian will be able to use diagnostic tools for identifying infections. The infection is generally diagnosed using stool samples. The vet may prescribe worming medications like ivermectin, praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, etc. Though there are a few home remedies, it best to speak to a veterinarian about the type of medication and the doses for your dog if you notice that your dog is suffering from a bad case of worms. You should give your dog the correct dose at the right time regularly. This will ensure the dog worm infections is totally eliminated from the dogs body. In case of heartworm infection, a blood sample is taken for diagnosis. It is very difficult to treat a heartworm infection and survival chances of the animal are bleak. You may have to hospitalize your dog for heartworm treatment.

Prevention is the key to save your dog from all the dog health problems due to parasitic infections. Hope you have been able to gather some useful information related to dog worms from the above paragraphs.