City By The Sea Veterinary Hospital Talks All About Dog Parasites
What kind of worms do dogs get and how can they obtain them?
Dogs can get all different kinds of worms. They can get whipworms, roundworms, hookworms, heartworms, and tapeworms. Some worms can be transmitted from the mom to the baby, so from the mom to the pup, even before they're born. Sometimes they can be transmitted through the milk. Certain worms can be obtained from the ground if they're sniffing ground that's contaminated, or a lot of worms are honestly transmitted via the fecal-oral route, meaning a dog licks or sniffs something that was contaminated with stool that had the worms, and then they ingest them. And then finally, heartworms are different because those are transmitted by mosquitoes.
If I thought my dog had worms, what are some symptoms I should look out for?
A lot of the GI worms, so the gut parasites, you might see tummy upset in your dog, such as vomiting and/or diarrhea. You might even see the worms in the vomit or the stool. Sometimes you can see blood in the stool, decreased appetite, and belly pain. Heartworms in dogs are a little different because they aren’t GI-related; they are cardiovascular. So sometimes you can see cough, exercise intolerance, trouble breathing, things like that, but sometimes you won’t see anything at all.
How long do you think worms live inside of my dog? Are parasites painful for my dog?
Hopefully, the worms aren't living very long in your dog because hopefully, we'll catch them and then we'll get rid of them and treat them. But I have known some cases of heartworm actually to be there in their heart and their lung vessels for years. So it can be a long time. Comfort-wise, I feel like some of the tummy intestinal parasite worms can be uncomfortable when they're having GI upset and just cause some like almost tummy type signs.
What should I do if I suspect my dog has worms?
If you think your dog may have worms, let us know! If you're already a client here, give us a call. We'll probably recommend having you and your pet come in for a visit, and we will definitely want you to bring a stool sample. We'll screen that for intestinal parasites or worms. And then we could also do a quick blood draw for a heartworm test if you're worried about heartworm.
How do intestinal parasites impact the health and well-being of my dog?
A lot of intestinal parasites, unfortunately, take meals from your dog's intestines. So they're taking little blood samples or blood meals. That can really impact the health of your pet, causing blood loss. I know we talked a lot about tummy upset, so vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and belly pain. Dog parasites are basically kind of sucking the nutrients and blood from your dog. So, it can be pretty impactful if they have intestinal parasites.
What happens if my dog has worms, but it goes left untreated?
So along those same lines, if your dog's just not absorbing all of the nutrients, it should be because of the parasite, your dog just might not be as thrifty or might be losing weight because of that. Sometimes their coat health is affected too. And again, stool quality, which no pet parent wants to pick up loose stools. Lots of room for improvement.
Is there a way to prevent my dog from getting worms?
Yes. A lot of the time, yes. A lot of dogs or pet parents might even already be giving monthly preventives that include intestinal parasite protection. Your monthly heartworm preventions already cover most of the most common intestinal parasites. So you're probably already doing a lot to prevent parasites in your dog. And then good hygiene, like washing your hands after picking up after your pet and picking up after them right after they go, will help reduce that worm burden.
Is there a fast way to get rid of worms if my dog has them?
Well, come see us. We'll be able to diagnose what kind of worm they have and then hopefully select the appropriate dewormer medication to treat whatever particular worm it is. We'll just have to diagnose it first, then we can treat it.
How about any natural remedies that I can use at home for my dog's worms?
That's a good question. I'll be honest, off the top of my head, I'm not familiar with any over-the-counter natural nutraceuticals to treat your dog for worms.
Can I also deworm my puppy?
Yes. Actually, the CAPC, which is the Companion Animal Parasite Council, recommends starting deworming puppies at 2 weeks old. So, super important to start deworming your puppy at 2 weeks, and then we usually deworm them every 2 weeks until they're a couple of months old.
How do I know if the deworming treatment was effective in killing the parasites in my dog?
Typically, if they're intestinal parasites, you should see an improvement in their clinical signs or symptoms. And then oftentimes we recheck a stool sample later on just to make sure we've cleared that parasite depending on what type of worm it is.
Are dewormers typically safe for my dog or will using one harm my dog?
Generally, dewormers are quite safe for your pet. But again, with any medication we use, especially prescription strength dewormers, we work together as a team to look at the dog's age, size, weight, and any other medications they're on to make sure we make the right choice.
What about any risks or protocols associated with treating or deworming my pregnant or nursing dog?
Great question. Many pregnant or nursing dogs can also get dewormed if they have worms. And it's also helpful to protect their puppies, too. We come up with a protocol based on all those factors and make the right choice for your particular pet.
Besides the risks associated with worms for my dog, are there any risks for me or my family?
Unfortunately, yes. There are a handful of the worms we talked about earlier that can be transmissible to people. Roundworms are one of them. Hookworms can be contracted if you're in the same environment as your dog; you can get them too. It's definitely best to consult your human doctor if you have concerns that you have contracted worms, but it's best to just practice really good hygiene with your dog.
If you have questions, we would love to answer them for you. Please give us a call at the office at (848) 217-5000, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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