How do I get rid of my dogs parasites?
Dog Worms: How to Get Rid of Worms in Dogs
Dogs of every age, breed, and lifestyle are at risk of getting worms. Most worms are invisible to the human eye and can only be detected with a fecal exam at your veterinarian’s office. Today, our Edgewater vets discuss the types of worms dogs can get, their signs, and how they can be treated.
Worms in Dogs
It’s always frightening to think about our beloved dogs becoming infected with worms, but it’s critical to understand the symptoms of worms and how to prevent them. When dogs come into contact with contaminated feces or soil, they can become infected. Some worms can even be passed on to humans.
If worms go untreated they can lead to a variety of dangerous conditions such as internal organ damage, loss of consciousness, and death.
Here we discuss the ways dogs can get worms, the common types of worms, and how they can be treated.
How Dogs Get Worms
There are many ways dogs can get worms. Usually, dogs get infected by ingesting or eating a substance that has been contaminated with microscopic parasitic eggs such as feces, soil, raw meat, prey animals, or external parasites (such as fleas during grooming).
An infected mother can even pass worms onto her puppies either through birth or by feeding them milk.
By coming into contact with contaminated stool or soil, a dog can also contract certain types of worms (such as hookworms) through their skin. The worms can then burrow into your puppy’s skin. This makes it critical to always pick up your dog’s poop because you could endanger the other dogs in your neighborhood.
The Types of Worms
Here are the types of worms that can infect dogs:
Tapeworms
This worm is flat and segmented, and it lives in your dog’s intestines. Tapeworms can be transmitted to dogs through the consumption of infected fleas or the consumption of infected wild animals. Tapeworm eggs hatch and attach to the dog’s intestinal lining after being consumed. The most common type of tapeworm in the United States is Dipylidium caninum, which can be transmitted to dogs by fleas.
One way you can tell if your dog has tapeworms is by checking their stool, this type of worm can pass through their feces and look like tiny pieces of rice. Your dog may also scoot, rubbing its butt along the ground. If you notice your dog exhibiting either of these signs, call your vet to schedule a fecal examination.
Roundworms
There are two types of roundworms a dog can get, Toxocara canis (T. canis) and Toxascaris leonina, and they are some of the most common worms among dogs. However, T. canis is most common in puppies. They can also be transmitted to humans.
Puppies are frequently born with roundworms from their mothers. As a result, it is critical that new puppies receive the necessary level of veterinary care. Because roundworms have hard shells that can survive on soil for years, dogs can pick up this parasite from their surroundings. Roundworm eggs can pass through a dog’s stool, reinfesting the animal or transmitting the worm to another dog.
After it has been ingested the larva emerges from the egg, and makes its way to the lungs where it is coughed up, swallowed, and enters the small intestine where it matures.
This type of worm is diagnosed with a fecal exam and can often be treated with deworming medication provided by your veterinarian.
Whipworms
Whipworms live in a dog’s cecum, which is the start of the large intestine. Dogs can get this worm from ingesting contaminated substances including feces, water, soil, or animal flesh.
It can be difficult to tell if your dog has whipworms because dogs rarely exhibit symptoms until their condition has progressed. In severe cases, dogs may experience weight loss, inflammation, diarrhea, and, on rare occasions, anemia.
Since dogs don’t usually show any signs of whipworms in their early stages, it’s very important to bring a sample of your dog’s stool to the vet regularly for fecal exams.
Hookworms
Hookworms are seen more often in dogs than in cats and pose a serious threat to the health of canines. They attach to the walls of a dog’s intestine and drink large amounts of blood. These worms can cause anemia and potentially death if they go too long without treatment. This parasite can also be passed on to humans.
Hookworms can infect dogs through their environment, where the worms can burrow into their skin or ingest them through infected soil. Puppies can also contract it from their mother’s milk if she is infected. Infected animals can pass hundreds of microscopic eggs through their stool, and when they hatch, they can survive on soil for months, but they are so small that they cannot be seen.
Vets can diagnose hookworms through fecal floatation, where a sample of your dog’s stool is combined with a solution that makes the worm eggs float to the top.
Symptoms of Worms in Dogs
Dogs can show various signs of worms, depending on which kind they have, we’ve listed the most common ones below:
- Weightloss
- Abdominal Pain
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Bloated Stomach
- Poor Coat Appearance
- Worms in Stool
If your dog shows any of the signs above call your vet immediately to schedule an examination.
How To Get Rid of Your Dogs Worms
Most of the time a microscopic examination of your dog’s feces needs to be performed in order to determine if your dog has worms. If your pooch is exhibiting any signs of having worms, your veterinarian will ask you to bring in a sample of your dog’s stool to perform a fecal examination. In the event your dog isn’t showing any symptoms, it’s always best to have a fecal exam conducted by your veterinarian at least once a year because some worms will show no signs in the early stages.
Deworming medications can usually be prescribed by your veterinarian to alleviate your dog’s symptoms. There are various types of deworming medications available, and the type used by your veterinarian will be determined by the type of worms your dog has.
We also recommend providing your dog with prevention products to help keep your dog from getting parasites in the first place.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
Contact our Edgewater vets today if you believe your pooch may have worms or to find out which prevention products will be best for your canine companion.
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I can’t say enough good things about Animal General — they are the best! I’ve been coming here for 3 years with my dog and never had a bad experience or one complaint. Every veterinarian there is amazing, the staff is so polite and caring! Overall they treat your pet as if it were there own and I couldn’t ask for anything more, definitely recommend going to them, you won’t regret it!
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Natural Remedies for Deworming of Dogs
One of the most common health problems found in dogs is the infection of worms or parasites, primarily in the lungs or intestines. These infections are usually caused by playing in infested grounds or soil, drinking stagnant water, or being bitten by fleas or rodents. In such cases, it is always suggested to deworm your dogs on a regular basis, even if they appear to be in perfect health. There are many types of worms which might affect your pooch.
Some of these are:
There are many ways in which dogs can be infected by worms. A few of them are:
- Ingesting contaminated soil directly
- Through mother to unborn puppies
- Eating infected meat
From the types of worms mentioned above, heartworms are the most dangerous type. Roundworms usually do not cause any major illnesses, although they can sometimes make your dog very sick. Tapeworms, hookworms, and whipworms are less of a threat unless they infect your doggo in increased numbers.
Symptoms of Worms in Dogs
Most dogs show no or very few symptoms of worms unless they are severely infected. A few symptoms which indicate worms in dogs are:
- Weight Loss
- Diarrhea
- Dry hair
- Vomiting
- Rubbing its bottom or scooting
- Visible worms in feces
- Low Energy
- Change in appetite
- Blocked Intestine
- Pneumonia
These worms are basically intestinal worms but may affect other organs of the body as well. Dog worms, if left untreated, may damage your dog’s internal organs and lead to loss of consciousness and can even cause death.
If you think that your dog has worms or you see any of the above symptoms in them, take them to your nearest veterinary surgeon. Most intestinal worms are easy to treat with some natural remedies, but if your dog is still not cured, take them to the vet without delay.
Natural Remedies for Dog Deworming:
1. Fruits and Vegetables
Veggies like carrots, beetroot, banana, apple, coconut, and papaya are rich in fiber and act as natural dewormers. Healthy dog treats with the goodness of such fruits and vegetables are extremely beneficial for their diet.
Adding it to your dog’s regular diet will keep them healthy and worm-free. Raw beetroot is not easily digestible by dogs, so always give them shredded beetroots or dog treats that are made from natural beetroots or other veggies and fruits
2. Turmeric
Turmeric has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory property helps reduce inflammation in the digestive system and cures the damage caused by the worms. It also cleanses the liver by removing the toxins left behind by the worms in the dog’s body. Feeding your dog turmeric directly could be a hassle, so treats which are infused with turmeric can be of great help as it has the healing properties as well as the yummy taste which your dog would love.
3. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain a deworming compound called cucurbitacin. This compound paralyzes the worms and prevents them from holding on to the intestinal walls of a dog’s body during a bowel movement. As a result, all worms from the digestive tract will be removed.
4. Cloves
Crushed cloves in your dog’s food once a week acts as a natural dewormer. If the problem is still not cured, repeat it for the second week, but ensure not to overdo it. Instead, visit a vet for further diagnosis. Cloves are a uterine stimulant, which clears all the worms in the intestine. Remember, it should not be given to a pregnant dog in any form.
5. Papaya
Papaya seeds have anti-amoebic properties that kill all types of intestinal worms in the digestive system. The papaya fruit also induces an enzyme known as papain, which helps in the removal of intestinal worms. Feeding papaya or papaya seeds can deworm your pooch and keep them fit and healthy.
Prevention:
It is essential to give your dog regular deworming treatments, especially if you have children in the house. Puppies are at high risk of worms and skin problems because of their weak immune systems at that age.
A few prevention methods that you can use are:
- Keep your surroundings clean and remove all the feces, if any, from the yard.
- Never let your dog eat feces.
- Visit a vet at regular intervals.
- Don’t let your dog drink stagnant water.
- Eliminate worm-carrying pests like mice and rats.
- Use vet recommended medicines
Some unknown facts about dog worms:
- Dogs don’t always show symptoms of being infected with dog worms.
- Sledging or scooting does not always mean that a dog has worms.
- Coming in direct contact with dog worms can prove to be fatal for humans.
- Worms can lead to various other diseases
Dog worms can lead to severe disease in dogs. Never underestimate your dog if they are suffering from worms or parasites. Deworming at regular intervals is the best way to keep your dog free from worms. To learn more about dog deworming and how often you should be doing it.
You can also change their eating habits and include dog chew sticks in their diets which will not only help in deworming but also promote dental health . Worms are harmful and can cause dreadful diseases so take extra care of your furry friend and give him a healthy and active life.
