Worming your dog is an important part of ensuring your pet stays healthy and happy. Worms can cause a range of health issues, from digestive problems to weight loss, and can even be fatal if left untreated. It’s essential to know when and how often you should worm your pet, so you can be sure they stay healthy and worm-free. This blog post will provide you with all the information you need to know to make sure your canine companion is always in the best of health. From knowing which type of worm requires which type of treatment to how often your dog should be wormed, this post will give you all the information you need to create a tailored and effective worming schedule for your pup.
The two most common types of dog worms explained
Roundworms and tapeworms are the most prevalent intestinal worms in dogs, according to Dr. Huggett, who also describes their symptoms.
Roundworms
“Roundworms are slender with ‘spaghetti-like’, cylindrical bodies. Because they are prolific egg layers, a small number of worms can produce a lot of eggs. These eggs can infect other dogs or stay dormant in the environment for years because they are passed along with the dog’s feces.
Roundworm infestation symptoms can vary, with many animals exhibiting no symptoms at all. A pot-bellied appearance, changes in appetite, weight loss, dullness of the coat, vomiting or diarrhea, scooting, and occasionally, the presence of visible worms in the feces or vomit are symptoms. However, the absence of these signs DOES NOT indicate that your dog is worm-free. ”.
Tapeworms
“Tapeworms are flat worms formed of multiple segments. A second intermediate host, which can be a sheep, rabbit, small rodent, or a flea, is needed for tapeworms to finish their life cycle in addition to your dog. Dyplidium caninum, the most prevalent type of tapeworm, is primarily spread by fleas. While grooming, cats and dogs consume an infected flea that is carrying a tapeworm larva. The larva is then released into the host’s stomach, where it continues to develop.
“Seeing white segments around your dog’s bottom or in their feces, which may resemble rice grains, is a common sign of a Dyplidium caninum tapeworm infestation,” Segments of the shed Taenia tapeworm will resemble a short piece of tape. ”.
Although lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) infections are much less common than round or tapeworm infections, they can still be extremely dangerous or even fatal for dogs. It can result in a variety of symptoms, including coughing, weight loss, and bleeding problems. Any dog owner worried that their pet might have lungworms should contact their veterinarian right away.
The majority of responsible dog owners are aware that their dog needs to be dewormed, but there are many misconceptions about how frequently and what to deworm dogs of.
Here are the facts:
Worms are experts at reproducing and surviving, so there are many of them waiting to infect your dog.
There are several ways for your dog to contract worms, Dr. Huggett reminds us.
Contaminated soil
“Through their feces, infected dogs release worm eggs back into the environment.” Worm eggs can remain dormant in the environment for months or even years if the feces are not picked up right away. This means that even after the previous host has shed the eggs, dogs can still contract the infection. Due to their extreme stickiness, roundworm eggs frequently become stuck to a pet’s fur, paws, or nose before being ingested while being groomed. ”.
Scavenging or eating infected raw meat
Small mammals, sheep, cattle, and birds serve as intermediate hosts for various parasitic worm species. Consuming an infected intermediate host can cause cats, dogs, and even people to contract the disease. This can either take the form of raw meat, offal (such as kidneys, liver, and lungs), or by catching and consuming prey that is infected with worm larvae. ”.
Fleas
Fleas, which are frequently consumed while grooming, serve as an intermediary host for the most prevalent type of tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum. Your dog will contract tapeworms if the flea they ate contained a tapeworm larva. It is very likely that your dog will have come into contact with another animal or an area where fleas are present even if they receive regular flea treatment. ”.
During pregnancy and/or during nursing
Many roundworm larvae in healthy adult dogs migrate to other parts of the body, particularly the muscles, where they develop harmless, dormant cysts that can be dormant for many years.
“However, roundworm larvae are released from the cysts and once again become active during pregnancy, when the body’s immune response is compromised. The larvae then move to the developing puppies through the placenta in the womb. Roundworms are also passed through the mother’s milk during nursing. Therefore, regular worming of newborn puppies is essential. ”.
5 Vitally important facts about worming your dog
1. The treatment (eradication) of worms in dogs is very effective with dog worming medication. Dog worming medication does not prevent worms.
2. A dog may receive a worming on a Monday, become worm-free by Tuesday, and become infected again by Thursday.
3. Regular deworming increases the likelihood that your dogs will be worm-free. But even if your dog was recently dewormed, it is still possible for them to get worms again if you suspect they have them.
4. If you take your dog back to the places where they first got worms, they might get them again.
5. Roundworms, tapeworms and lungworms all do different types of harm. Consult your veterinarian about the specific anti-worm medication they suggest and learn which worms it is intended to combat.
There is a widespread misconception that treating worms in puppies will prevent the dog from needing ongoing worming as it ages, despite the fact that worms typically tend to be more prevalent in younger animals. The truth is that worms can infect and re-infect a dog at any time. So even a recently wormed dog still risks reinfection within a few days, if not a few weeks.
Zoonotic diseases are those that humans can contract from animals. They may even result in blindness in the most severe circumstances.
To find out more about the most common types of dog worms and how they can affect a dogs health, we spoke with Dr Sue Huggett, who holds a PhD in parasitic worms and is the Business Manager for Beaphar UK, a pet healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturer whose product range includes wormers, fleas treatments and other healthcare products for cats, dogs, small animals and birds.
How often should I deworm Puppies and Young dogs?
Puppies are prone to contracting worms, which they can do so easily by drinking their mother’s milk. This shows that young dogs and puppies can contract worms even if they have never spent time outside or around other dogs.
Professional breeders are aware of this, which is why they frequently advise deworming young dogs and puppies. The majority of them advise deworming puppies prior to their first vaccination
Always verify with the breeder that the dog has been properly dewormed before buying it. In actuality, puppies and young dogs should receive a deworming when they are between 21 and 30 days old. Accordingly, until they are three months old, they should receive a deworming treatment at least once per month. Once every two months after that, they can receive deworming treatments until they are six months old. Deworming should now take place at least once every three months or as necessary.
Worms in young dogs can cause death. In fact, the veterinarian will immediately rule out other causes of death before considering worms if a puppy dies. However, adult dogs are very unlikely to die from worms, even though they can have a significant negative impact on their general health.
FAQ
How often should I give my dog dewormer?
Routine worming treatments for puppies can easily control common worms. From twelve weeks of age until six months of age, they should be dewormed every two weeks. For effective protection, all dogs after six months must be wormed every three months.
What are the signs that a dog needs worming?
- ‘Scooting’, or dragging the bottom along the ground.
- visible worms or eggs in the feces or on the bottom of your dog’s fur
- Swollen abdomen.
- Diarrhoea or vomiting.
- Increased appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Bleeding (in the case of lungworm)
- Coughing (in the case of lungworm and hookworm)
Can you worm your dog too often?
Yes, you can worm a puppy or your dog excessively, and there is no clear advantage. In fact, over-worming your dog can backfire and cause them to develop a tolerance; you definitely don’t want that to happen.
Do dogs need worming every month?
Up until the age of six months, pets should have monthly wormings, and then 4 times a year for both roundworm and tapeworm after that. Lungworm treatment for dogs needs to be done monthly. Worming treatments can be administered either at home or in the office by the veterinarian. Treatment is either via a tablet or a spot on.