Worms and deworming in dogs and puppies

Your dog looks and acts like he's in great shape. He couldn't possibly have worms, right? Wrong! Just about all puppies are infected with intestinal parasites, passed on through the placenta or from their mother's milk. Adult dogs can get worms from eating feces or dirt that contain parasite eggs. 

Kinds of dog worms

Roundworms

Roundworms are one of the most common intestinal parasites found in dogs – and puppies in particular. These long white worms that resemble spaghetti can grow to four inches and can cause mild vomiting and diarrhea. Severe infestations in young dogs may result in a pot belly, dull coat, poor growth, and weight loss. All puppies should be regularly wormed from two weeks of age (and all adult dogs wormed every year) to guard against roundworms. Puppies should continue to be dewormed every 3 weeks for the best results.  And, by the way, they can be passed on to humans.  If you have a puppy, make sure to pick up his feces and make sure you encourage your children to wash their hands after playing with the new puppy.  Roundworms can cause intestina problems as well as problems with vision in humans.  Routine deworming of the new puppy and good hygeine are the best for preventing any problems with you and your family. 

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are also very common; they are transmitted by fleas. You'll seldom notice any symptoms in your dog, but you may notice small rice-sized worms in the hair around your dog's anus or in his feces.  If you see these, tell your veterinarian so your dog can be properly dewormed. 

Whipworms

Whipworms can only be seen under a microscope, but they can cause diarrhea and significant anemia. Puppies kept in unclean environments and dogs who live in warmer climates are most susceptible. If the eggs are shed on grass by an infected animal, they can remain infectious for more than a year, even in cold climates!  Whipworms can be difficult to get rid of in the environment; make sure you routinely scoop up your yard to prevent the eggs from getting established in the soil.  In order to treat whipworms, your dog will need to receive medication for 3 consecutive days and have it repeated every 3 weeks until whipworm eggs are no longer able to be detected in the feces.  This is because only adult whipworms are killed with deworming medications and it takes approximately 3 weeks for the parasites to develop into adults. 

Hookworms

Bloodsucking hookworms are also a threat to your dog. Good hygiene is essential when these parasites are around. If an infected dog must lie on damp, dirty bedding, the larva can cause skin irritation.  Hookworms can also cause anemia, poor growth, dull haircoat, and a pot bellied appearance.  Routine deworming that starts at 2 weeks of age and continues every 2-3 weeks as your puppy is growing is effective at killing hookworms.  Hookworms can also affect humans.  If your dog has hookworms, good hygeine and picking up stool from the yard will be very important to keep you and your family from developing skin irritation and inflammation. 

Treatment of parasites and multiple deworming

The key to treatment of parasites is correct diagnosis since the medication must be effective against the parasite your pet has. A dewormer that eliminates roundworms, for example, will not kill tapeworms. And whipworm is unusually resistant to many drugs. Your veterinarian can best determine the culprit and prescribe the appropriate medication. Diagnosis may require microscopic examination, so you should take a fresh fecal sample to your veterinarian. Some parasites may require multiple dewormings. And never assume your dog doesn't have worms just because you don't see them in his stool.

To avoid reinfection, good hygiene is essential. Make sure your dog is free of fleas. Always clean up after your dog when he defecates. As mentioned earlier, some worms can be passed from animals to humans. About 10,000 children annually, for example, are infected with roundworms. You and your family can avoid problems by washing your hands before and after handing your dog. Never handle feces directly, wear gloves to protect yourself.