Why do veterinarians always want to take a sample of your dog’s stool for examination at every annual visit to look for different types of parasitic worms? Many breeders and owners of pets of dogs and cats, especially dogs, believe that this procedure is not of paramount importance, and that dogs and cats cannot be infected with worms. But in fact, all dogs and cats are susceptible to worms, no matter how they are cared for or where they live. Perhaps this belief stems from some people that they cannot see these worms, while most worms are not visible to the naked eye, except for tapeworms. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about the most common treatment for worms in dogs, different methods of treatment for them, and how to prevent them

How can a dog get worms?

There are many ways by which worms can easily reach dogs and cats, including:

Eating the feces of an infected dog or other animal Dog worms can be easily transmitted from the feces to your dog through the mouth, which means that your dog has been exposed to the feces of another infected dog in one way or another.
The transmission of worms from the mother to the puppy Canine worms can be transmitted to young puppies if the mother is infected and this may occur in different ways, including: through the mother’s placenta before birth and also through milk during breastfeeding.
Eating raw meat or preying on animals Some types of dog worms such as tapeworms, flukes, intestinal worms, and others can be transmitted to dogs easily if they eat raw meat one or more times. These worms form cysts in muscle tissue, and when the body uses these muscles, they begin to become active and multiply easily.
Eating insects, some of them are transmitted to dogs through another host, for example, fleas act as their host where the parasite lives inside, so when the dog eats them by mistake, he may get the parasite and worms.
Through the skin There are types of worms that are transmitted through the skin to dogs, such as hookworms.

Types of worms in dogs

There are many different types of parasitic worms in cats and dogs that need treatment, the most common are tapeworms, hooks, whipworms, cylindrical, heart, and round worms.

Hookworms in dogs

Hookworms are more common in dogs than in cats, as they stick to the wall of the small intestine of dogs and cats and suck blood, which exposes the infected dog to a great danger that may reach death sometimes if a lot of blood is lost and not treated.

What do hookworms look like?

They appear very small and thin, and they have a hook-like mouth that they use to fix themselves on the intestinal wall in dogs, they reproduce and lay very small eggs that are passed in your dog’s feces, but it is not visible because of its small size, but it causes many unpleasant symptoms and needs treatment.

How does your dog get hookworms?

How dangerous is it to dogs?

Severe infestation of hookworms can cause severe anemia in dogs, as they feed on the blood of the infected dog and leave ulcers and bleeding in their place when they move to a new feeding site, which requires consulting a veterinarian and prescribing appropriate treatment for the case.

What are the signs of dogs infested with hookworms?

Sometimes an adult dog may become infected and do not show any symptoms of disease, but in this case, an infected host remains and spreads the eggs of the parasite worms in its surroundings, while symptoms appeared on dogs, they include:

exhaust.
bloody diarrhea;
Dark-colored stools.
Severe weight loss.
Anemia.

How is infection treated in dogs?

Stool microscopic examination is used to diagnose hookworms, after which the veterinarian prescribes the appropriate antihelminthic to kill and treat hookworms. Fortunately, they play an effective role in treatment.

Roundworms in dogs

A large percentage of young puppies may be born with intestinal roundworm larvae or ascarids in their tissues. Large dogs can also be infected, but they will often be an infected host who does not show any symptoms.

What does it look like?

They are light-coloured, spaghetti-like worms and several inches long. You can see them clearly in vomit or in feces.

How is it infected?

Injury is caused by several methods, including:

From the mother through the placenta during pregnancy.
Through milk during lactation, but this method is less common.
Via the surrounding environment, roundworms produce thousands of eggs that are protected by a hard, strong shell that can remain in the soil for many years.
It can also be transmitted by eating predators.

How dangerous is it to dogs?

Delay in treatment can lead to death due to intestinal obstruction or several other reasons, including its access to heart tissue, or what may cause some other diseases.

What are the signs of injury?

Adult dogs often do not show any symptoms, but infected young puppies often appear with a swollen abdomen and are poorly developed, some other symptoms may appear, such as diarrhea and vomiting.

How is the injury treated?

Treatment is with a monthly dose of anti-worms, and a dose of fenbendazole is enough to treat and eliminate it. The treatment of worms with the use of anti-worming tablets in the treatment plan during pregnancy and lactation helps to achieve an effective result and to reduce the number of her offspring greatly. However, since almost all antihelminthic pills act only on adult intestinal parasites and not on dormant larvae in tissues, some transmission to puppies is still possible even after a prophylactic dose is given. Also, maintaining the monthly dose of anti-worming treatment after weaning keeps your dog from being infected with parasites for the rest of his life and getting rid of worms by treating worms in dogs

tapeworms

They are flat worms that live in the intestines of the dog. They are also called intestinal worms. Fleas are the carrier host for them, and the dog can become infected with them when fleas are swallowed. They usually cause very mild symptoms, and in severe infections they may cause severe diarrhea that needs to be treated for worms in dogs, and treated as in the case of roundworms.

What do tapeworms look like?

Tapeworms appear very long, up to two feet, in the intestines and colon. It consists of parts connected in the form of a chain and the diagnosis is made by seeing these parts in the dog’s stool or stuck in the anus under the tail.

How do dogs get tapeworms?

Fleas eat the eggs laid by the tapeworm, and dogs become infected by eating fleas or by infected wild animals or rodents.

How dangerous is it for dogs?

It often does not cause symptoms, but the problem of severe irritation in the anus needs treatment.

What are the signs that your dog shows?

You may notice that your dog is licking his anus or biting his tail, you can check under the tail to see if you can see some tapeworm parts that appear as grains of rice stuck in the fur.

How is the infection treated in this case?

Treating worms in dogs and treating their infection by giving the animal special anti-worms for treatment, which requires a prescription from a veterinarian.

How do you tell if your dog has tapeworms?

The best way to find out if your dog has a worm is to have a veterinarian perform a stool examination. Pets often do not show any symptoms with a mild or new infection, but as things get worse, it may cause some symptoms to appear, such as:

Diarrhea, which may be bloody – bloody vomiting.
The appearance of some parts of the worm in the stool or in the anus.
Weight loss.
dry hair.
general weakness.
flatulence;
Vomiting, possibly with worms in the vomit.

Can a person get worms from dogs?

When looking for a treatment for worms in dogs, it is necessary to know that some worms found in dogs infect humans and pose potential health risks from the disease. You can get an infection if you come into contact with contaminated soil, or if it accidentally mixes with your dog’s feces and gets into your mouth. Therefore, the veterinarian’s instructions and all treatment procedures must be adhered to at least.

How is worms treated in dogs?

There is only one proven and effective way to treat worms in dogs: the use of deworming medication. The type of treatment depends on the type of worm present, as not all types respond to the same type of treatment, and there is no single treatment or drug that works against all types of parasites. Some types of over-the-counter anthelmintic drugs are not completely effective in removing worms from your dog or cat. Your vet can recommend the best type of worming treatment available for a particular type of parasite in your pet.

What are the side effects of medications used to treat worms in dogs?

The most common drug side effects on dogs include:

lethargy;
vomiting;
Diarrhea.

Is there a home remedy for worms in dogs?

In general, prescription wormers will be safer and/or more effective than many over-the-counter wormers. There is no home remedy to treat or prevent parasitic worms. Please consult your local vet for the best deworming treatment for dogs.

How to protect your dog from worms.

A monthly commercial deworming treatment such as Praviran deworming can protect dogs from heartworms and intestinal parasites indefinitely. The life cycle of most parasites is three to four weeks, so you can treat worms in dogs and prevent and treat most parasites if you give him medicine monthly and this way you can keep him healthy. Giving monthly treatment tablets to a pregnant dog will prevent the transmission of worms to her offspring with the treatment of worms in dogs, then the puppies can begin to deworm and treat worms after the weaning period ends.

After you have learned about the types of worms and how worms in dogs are treated, do not hesitate to go to the Family Fit Center Hospital to check on your pet friend as soon as you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms.

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