There are a number of different Worms that can affect your
dog. Roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, whip worms and heartworms. Some live in
intestines and some in the tissue. Many worms do not pose a problem for your dog
at all, and you will not even be aware that they are even there. Some worms can
be tolerated in small numbers, but in high numbers can create serious problems.
Generally a dog should be treated every 6
months for the first two. Roundworms and Tapeworms. They are the most common,
roundworm being the bigger problem.
Puppies should be treated at 4, 6, 8, 10 , 12, 14 and 16
weeks. Regularly about every 2 weeks up to the puppy reaching 3 months old and again as advised by your Vet, and with Vet
recommended medicine. Be sure to worm the Dam, talk to your vet.
It is
very important to worm your puppy and your dog,
as
tapeworms and roundworms can infect people
You MUST check with your Local Veterinarian to find out, what
is in your area, and how your puppy or dog needs to be treated.
ALL Areas where there are dogs, there are roundworm Eggs.
Roundworms: (Toxocara canis)
Round worms --also called ascarids are of whitish color. They look just like a piece of cooked Spaghetti, and live in your
dogs intestine. They can reach up to 8" in length (20cm.), and feed off of your
dogs food, in the intestine. Round worms shed eggs continually. You can either
treat your dog for roundworms every 6 months, OR, you can have them tested and
only treat if they have them.
Round worms migrate
throughout the blood, into the lungs, and are coughed up, and usually
re-swallowed. sometimes the larvae can travel through the liver and brain.
You may never ever see these worms, and one day one may come
out in the dog's stool. They can cause bloating, diarrhea and vomiting. Your dog
may stop eating, after passing through a stage of over eating, and always being
hungry.
In young puppies untreated roundworms Can cause the bowel to
rupture. Puppies get roundworms from their mom, as the larval worms
migrate into the womb, or into her teats. A pregnant dam, can be treated for
roundworms, and should be. ASK your Vet.
Dogs should
be discouraged from pooping where kids play, as roundworms are dangerous
especially to children. Roundworm eggs can lie dormant in a sandbox for years.
Once they enter the child host, they can migrate to the child's liver, lungs
eyes or brain and become permanently encysted.
Tapeworms
(Taenia and dipylidium species)
Tapeworms look like a piece of rice on the stool but not in
it, or sometimes seen sticking like little white eggs to the dogs anus.
| |
|
There are a few different varieties of Tapeworms.
Fleas
carry tapeworms, so if your dog has fleas, or had fleas, there is a good chance
he could have tapeworms. (see
flea
write-up). As If the dog eats the flea he could have
tapeworms. |
Standard wormer doesn't always kill tapeworms, so a stronger
wormer is needed.
Many Vets recommend worming for tapeworm and roundworms every
6-12months.
You cannot treat a pregnant or nursing dam, or puppies for
tapeworm.
Like roundworms, people can also get tapeworms, people can
get tapeworms from ingesting a flea from a dog, and that is not hard,
considering a flea is so small, it could easily land on your plate, or your hand
and be ingested un-noticed. A tapeworm is not that dangerous to a dog, it is
referred to by some as the smart parasite, but it can be dangerous to
people causing serious liver disease.
The tapeworm actually consists of many white segments, joined
together like a tape. They tape together and can get to be several feet long.
Then they drop off to multiply. It is the segments that are seen as they shed.
These segments contain the eggs, they look like wiggling grains of rice.
See more Tapeworm Photos
Hookworm
(Ancylostoma coaninum)
Looks like roundworm, but has teeth at one end, that grab
onto the dogs intestine and attaches itself. It changes the attachment site at
least 6 times per day. There is blood loss to feed the bloodsucking worms, but
most blood is lost at the spots of detachment until they heal, thus causing
anemia and iron-deficiency.
Hookworms and whipworms
are blood suckers. These can make a puppy anemic.
Heartworms live in the heart and large blood vessels. they are about 6 inches long. They
are spread by mosquitoes. The tree hole mosquito,
which breeds in oak trees, is very good at spreading heartworms. They live in
areas where oak trees thrive. If you have oak trees in your area, you most
likely live in an area where there are heartworms. Heartworms show no symptoms
at all until the disease is very advanced. When symptoms do appear they are the
same as the symptoms for congestive heart failure. Sometimes causing fainting,
coughing, difficulty breathing, dull coat, lack of energy, and an enlarged
abdomen. Heartworms can be prevented. Dogs should be tested for heart worms,
then given a preventive medicine. It is not wise to wait until symptoms appear
before treating this dangerous worm. Talk to your Vet.
All dogs at some time in their lives have worms, but with
modern treatments, they are easily eliminated, and harmless to your pet. IF ALL
dogs were regularly treated for worms, the risk to human health could be reduced
greatly.
Whipworms (Trichuris)
Are not visible to the naked eye. Vet diagnosis
only
Courtesy of MistyTrails Havanese
