Parasitic Worms and how they cause trouble

You have to keep your doggie free of parasitic worms. Not only can you damage your dogs health, you also have to minimize the risk to people and especially children. Those may (rarely) become infected with the larval form of Toxocara canis from environmental contamination with Toxocara eggs (parks and gardens).

There are evil players in this Wormstory:

Types of parasitic worms Roundworms, Tapeworms, Hookworms, Whipworms, Heartworms.

Roundworms are common in dogs, and this group includes Toxocara canis as well as other less common worms. They lay eggs which are passed directly from dog to dog via the faeces. All puppies are born with roundworm infestation from their mother, and treatment is nescesarry.

This must kill both adult parasitic worms in the intestine and the larval worms which migrate around the body. The eggs cannot be seen in the doggies motions, so it is difficult to tell if a dog is infected. Adult worms look like thin spaghetti and are creamy-white in colour.

Tapeworms have a more complex life cycle involving an intermediate host - usually the flea, or small animals that doggies eat. Tapeworms can become very long, and shed egg carrying segments which may appear in the pet's motions or around the anus.

These segments look like grains of rice and may move about.

Hookworms are small, thin worms that fasten to the wall of the small intestine and suck blood. Dogs get hookworm if they come in contact with the larvae in contaminated soil. As with roundworms, the hookworm larvae becomes an adult in the intestine.

The pups can contract hookworms in the uterus and the dam can infest the pups through her milk. A severe hookworm infestation can kill puppies, but chronic hookworm infection is usually not a problem in the older dog. When it does occur, the signs include diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and progressive weakness. Diagnosis is made by inspecting the faeces for eggs under a microscope.

Whipworms look like pieces of thread with one end enlarged. They live in the cecum, the first section of the dog's large intestine. Infestations are usually light, so an inspection of faeces may not reveal the presence of eggs. Several checks may be necessary.

Hookworms and whipworms occasionally cause problems, particularly in kennelled and rescue dogs.

Finally you have the dangerous Heartworm.

Heartworms are the most life-threatening canine parasitic worms. They reside in the dog's heart and pulmonary arteries, causing heart failure and eventually death. Adult worms are 10 to 30 cm in length and about 1 mm in diameter. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitos. When an infected mosquito bites a dog, it passes him the worms larvae that start to migrate until they reach the heart and pulmonary arteries in about 3-4 months.

They grow to maturity within a further 3 months and start producing larvae which can survive for about 2 years in the bloodstream. When a mosquito bites an infected dog, it picks up these larvae and can transmit the infection to other dogs. Treatment of heartworm infection is a long and risky process. Prevention is safe, easy and effective.

If you want to keep your doggie worm-free you have to worm him on regular base with the right preparation. This will give you the best chance of keeping your pet worm-free, and reducing the chances of contaminating the environment. Worming recommendations vary according to the age of your pet, and his or her weight.

Always follow the dosage instructions carefully and keep all medicines out of children's reach if you are using wormer. Always spray regularly for fleas, to reduce tapeworm infestation. Do not mix wormers and do not use any wormer if your dog is currently taking any other medication, including heartworm preventative, without consulting the veterinarian.

It is recommended that you worm your pet every three months. When a wormer is given to a dog it should remove any parasitic worms that are present in the digestive tract (stomach, small and large intestine). Once the wormer has passed out of the body, usually within a few days, your pet is open to reinfection.

Most adult dogs develop a degree of immunity against roundworm infection and may harbour a few worms. These will produce thousands of eggs which can pose a threat to other cats and dogs, and children. In most cases you will not know that your dog has worms. An odd roundworm or two in the intestine is most of the time does not seeem to cause any clinical signs.

Every three months is a practical and cost effective way of controlling parasitic worms in your doggie. If you worm every six months your dog could be passing eggs for two to three months before the next wormer. You could worm your doggie more but this should be enough.

The common worm infection in children, the Pin worm, does cause intense itching around the anus (bottom). Dogs do not get pin worm. The common round worm in dogs lays eggs well up inside the intestine and the eggs pass out into the motions without causing any itching. Children have itchy bottoms but it doesn't seem to cause irritation to dogs.

As with all health issues, visit your veterinarian on a regular base. Ask him for consult and wait too long with health problems.

About the Author
Champi, my Doggie and Friend. You can read more about this staffords life, and can get usefull doginfo at http://www.champi.nl/blog