This week, I will begin a short series focusing on common parasites seen in our canine companions. The first topic, which I will cover this week, is intestinal worms. All dogs, no matter how well cared for, are susceptible to these parasites. Intestinal worms can make our furry friends very ill if left untreated, but the good news is, they are easy to treat. Here, I describe the most common types of worms and the best treatments for each.
We all hate them, and practically every dog gets them at least once in its life. Parasitic worms of the digestive tract are no fun to deal with, that's for sure. There are several types of parasitic worms, but the most common are, by far, roundworms, followed by tapeworms, hook worms and whip worms. Most types, if treated properly, pose little real threat to your dog. However, if left untreated, some dogs, especially puppies, can die from worm infestation blocking their intestinal flow.
Roundworms look a bit like spaghetti. They are long and brownish or pinkish white in color. Live roundworms can present in the stool before worming treatment is given. And dogs will expel dead roundworms after treatment. In some cases, puppies may be born with roundworm larva already in their digestive tracts, but they can also get them through nursing, which is why we worm at 2 weeks of age (the approximate time it takes for roundworm larva to mature.) The most common symptom of roundworm infestation is the presentation of live roundworms in the stool. But in some cases, roundworms can cause irritation in the bowel, which may lead to diarrhea. Especially in puppies, a severe roundworm infestation can cause a distended abdomen (which looks like a constantly full belly) accompanied by weight loss (you may even be able to see the puppy's ribs!).
Roundworms are usually treated with pyrantel pamoate, which is sold as Strongid T, Evict or variety of other names, including names that you can buy at our favorite place...Wal-Mart!! However, fenbendazole (sold as Safeguard or Panacur) will also rid your dog of roundworms and can be used to treat other types of worms as well (more info on this product below, in the discussion of whipworms)
Tapeworms can be a bit trickier. They can present before worming treatment is given as tiny segments that resemble bits of rice. Or, they can present as a long whitish worm that comes out as your dog potties and then sucks back up when he's finished. Or, they may not present at all. The symptoms are so few, and so few dogs get any of them, that you may not ever even know your dog is infected. The symptoms can include "growling tummies" and diarrhea.
Tape worms do attach to the intestinal wall, which is why they suck back up into the intestines after your dog potties. Because of this, they can cause some irritation in the intestines, which may lead to a bit of blood in the feces. Tapeworms are difficult to diagnose because they don't lay eggs inside their host, which is how most worms are detected in a fecal exam done by a vet. But, tapeworms are transmitted by fleas, so if your dog has fleas, there's a good chance he also has tapeworms.
Over the counter wormers will not have any affect on tapeworms. Praziquantel or Droncit are the prefered wormers for tapeworms. Dogs will not pass dead tapeworms after worming treatment because the wormers disolve the worm's outer covering so that the worm is digested by the dog's digestive tract.
Hookworms are interesting creatures. The most common way for your dogs to get hookworms is by walking in an area where an infected animal has left feces. Hookworm larva deposited into soil mature into free living organisms which can actually penetrate your dog's skin and infect the dog without the need for ingestion, which is required for most other worm infestation.
Symptoms of hookworm infestation are diarrhea (especially black, tarry diarrhea), vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness and in puppies, poor growth.
Dogs will not pass live hookworms prior to treatment, as the worms attach to the intestinal wall. These worms are very tiny and cannot be seen without the use of a microscope, which is why you will also never see them even after treatment. Your vet can test for the presence of hookworm eggs in a fecal exam though.
Hookworms are treated with pyrantel pamoate or fenbendazole (discussed below)
Whipworms are quite infectious, but the only way for your dog to get whipworms is to actually eat the egg. Whip worms bury their entire heads into the large intestine of the dog and they are not contagious to cats. Whipworms are also too tiny to see without a microscope, so you'll never see your dog pass them, even after treatment. Like most other worms besides the tapeworm, diagnosis is made with a fecal flotation exam which detects whipworm eggs.
Whipworms can be difficult to diagnose because they may not lay their eggs every day, so if you happen to take your dog to the vet for a fecal exam on a day that the worms aren't laying eggs, whipworm infestation can be easily overlooked. However, there are usually some signs of whipworm infestation, including diarrhea, especially diarrhea that comes and goes (colitis), and weight loss.
Whip worms are easy to treat using fenbendazole, marketed as Panacur. This really is the only wormer that will rid your dog of whipworms.
Now that you have a pretty good idea of the types of worms you may face with your dog and how to treat for them, you should be well equipped to keep your dog healthy and safe from these nasty parasites. The next topic in this series will cover other types of intestinal parasites.
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