What Are Worms in Dogs

All puppies are born with worms in their bellies. That’s why deworming has to happen. Worms in dogs are a common phenomenon. On and off, all dogs suffer from this issue. It is usually not a situation to worry about and should be considered a part of lifestyle if you own a dog. However, in certain situations, you might have to take your dog’s worms seriously because these parasites may affect your health as well. In order to treat worms in dogs, you need to understand all about this issue properly, so let’s know more.^{1}

Types of Worms in Dogs 

Before we talk about the symptoms, let’s understand about worms. Primarily, there are 5 types of worms that cause problems in dogs:

1. Roundworms: Also known as intestinal worms, there are 2 types of roundworms: Toxocara canis (T. canis) and Toxascaris leonina. Puppies mostly suffer from T. canis. These parasites can transfer to humans. Dogs may get roundworms by ingesting the eggs through food or a host such as rodents, rabbits, etc.
   
2. Tapeworms: Tapeworms are also intestinal worms which can be caused by ingesting infected fleas or animals. Your dog may pass tapeworms in the stool, which can appear like little rice pieces.
   
3. Hookworms: Again, a type of intestinal worms that may cause anemia because they suck blood. Hookworms can be ingested from the environment. Puppies can get the hookworms while getting milk from the mother.
   
4. Whipworms: These worms live in the cecum, which is the beginning of the large intestines and colon. Dogs may ingest whipworms through infested substances such as feces, animal flesh, soil, etc. The eggs of whipworms may survive upto 5 years in a good warm and moist environment. That’s why general sanitation is so important. Stool tests for whipworms are not always accurate and false negative reports are possible, you may have to go for repeat tests to find out whipworms.
   
5. Heartworms: These worms are transmitted through mosquitoes. Heartworms grow in the heart, and may affect lungs and other organs. That’s why it is very important to treat this issue at the initial stage and keep taking vet’s consultations.^{2}

Symptoms of Worms in Dogs 

As far as symptoms are concerned, you must have understood that most worms can be diagnosed by testing the stool under a microscope; except heartworms, as they can be tested via blood test. Some worms can be seen in the stool visually, and if you see blood in your dog’s stool, it could be another sign. Some common symptoms of intestinal worms are:

• Abdominal pain 
• Lethargy 
• Dehydration 
• Pot-bellied appearance 
• Diarrhea 
• Vomiting 
• Weight loss 
• Poor coat appearance 
• Pneumonia 
• Blood in stool (bright red or dark purple in colour) 
• Nutritional deficiencies and anemia 
• Intestinal blockage 

Now, let’s talk about treating worms in dogs.^{2}

Treating Worms in Dogs 

Well, the best way to proceed with worm treatment in dogs is to consult your vet and take the expert’s advice. If you are considerate about the puppy being fed by the mother, you must consider checking for worms regularly because milk feeding can expose them to worms continuously. Also, you must keep the hygiene levels high as much as possible. Feces are the biggest causes for transmitting worms. As you can also catch these worms, sanitation becomes even more important.^{2}

In order to help you here, we have got the poo tracker. With the help of this tracker, you may record the details of your dog poop along with pictures to diagnose better. Also, this tracker makes it far easier for vets to understand the problem. This tracker can be used by downloading the DuePet app. 

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FAQs

Sources

1. https://www.petbasics.com/parasites/intestinal-worms/questions-you-should-ask-your-vet-about-dog-worms/ 
2. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/worms-in-dogs-prevention-diagnosis-treatment/