Dog Worm Types: A Comprehensive Guide to Detection and Treatment

Dogs can get various types of worms, including hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Hookworms are one of the most common types of worms found in dogs.

Hookworms are thin, thread-like worms that attach to the dog's intestinal wall and feed on its blood. They can cause anemia, weight loss, and digestive issues.

Roundworms are long, thin worms that can grow up to 12 inches in length. They can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in dogs.

Tapeworms are flat, segmented worms that can grow up to 10 feet in length. They can cause weight loss, digestive issues, and skin problems in dogs.

There are several types of worms that can affect dogs, including hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Hookworms are a common problem in dogs, especially in areas with poor sanitation.

Hookworms are typically around 1/4 inch long and have a hook-like mouth that they use to attach to their host's intestinal wall.

Roundworms are another type of worm that can infect dogs, and they can grow up to 12 inches in length.

Some types of worms can cause symptoms like diarrhea, gas and bloating, vomiting, and weight loss.

If your dog has a severe infection, you might notice worms in their vomit or poop.

Tapeworms, on the other hand, are often silent, meaning your dog won't show any symptoms at all.

However, some dogs with tapeworms might experience mild gastrointestinal signs or itchiness around their anus as they shed segments of the worms.

In severe cases of heartworm infection, your dog may exhibit signs like coughing, shortness of breath, collapse, or even death.

It's worth noting that worms can be visible in your dog's poop, looking like grains of white rice, especially after they shed segments of the worms.

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Dogs can get worms through various means, including eating infected prey such as mice, snails, or fish.

Intermediate hosts like insects, fleas, or mosquitoes can also transmit parasites to dogs.

Preventing worm infestations requires awareness of the environment and common sources of infection.

Dogs can come into contact with worms through contaminated soil or water, so keeping them away from these areas is crucial.

Regular veterinary check-ups can help detect worm infestations early on, making treatment more effective.

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Diagnosing worms in dogs involves a physical exam, fecal exam, and sometimes blood tests. Your vet will thoroughly examine your pup from head to toe, listen to their heart and lungs, and feel for any abnormalities on their body.

A fecal exam is a common test for intestinal parasites, which involves bringing a fresh poop sample to your vet. The test is called a fecal flotation, where the sample is processed to look for eggs that are shed in the poop.

Blood tests are the main way to test for heartworm disease in dogs, and an in-house antigen SNAP test is usually part of a routine annual check up. If the test comes back positive, additional tests are performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment for intestinal parasites involves using the right dewormer combined with a thorough cleaning of the environment. This includes thoroughly cleaning up all poop, both inside and outside the home, and disinfecting all fabric and hard surfaces.

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A dewormer is a medication that can be given by mouth, and there are specific drugs that target different parasites. An accurate diagnosis is important to choose the right dewormer.

It's essential to wipe your dog's hind end and paws after they poop or play outside to reduce the chance of them re-infecting themselves.

Roundworms are a common issue in dogs, especially in puppies, where they can be transferred from mother to newborn through the placenta or milk. Toxocara canis is the most important species, as its larvae can migrate in people and infections are common.

In puppies, roundworms can be found in the intestines as early as 1 week after birth, and if pups less than 3 months old eat eggs that have been in the environment for at least 4 weeks, the eggs hatch and release larvae that penetrate the intestinal wall.

Adult dogs have some resistance to infection, but during the period around the birth of a litter, the immunity of the female dog to infection is partially suppressed, allowing the inactive larvae to become active.

Whipworms are thin, thread-like worms that live in your dog's large intestine and can be difficult to diagnose due to producing fewer eggs than other intestinal worms. Diarrhea, sometimes bloody, is the typical symptom of a whipworm infestation.

Tapeworms are segmented worms found in the intestines of dogs and can be acquired from eating fleas or raw meat and offal from large mammals. In rare cases, tapeworms can cause telescoping of the intestine, emaciation, and seizures.

Roundworms are one of the most common intestinal parasites in dogs, especially puppies.

They can be ingested through contaminated food, soil, or by eating infected small mammals. Roundworms are also commonly transmitted from mother to puppy through the placenta or milk.

Puppies can be born with roundworms since they pass through the placenta, and many dogs with roundworms show no signs of the infection.

However, if they do show signs, they can include a bloated belly, poor weight gain, diarrhea, and/or vomiting with worms visible in the vomit.

Roundworm eggs are very hardy and can survive in the environment for years, making it a source of constant re-infection.

Adult roundworms live in the small intestine and can be found in puppies as early as one week after birth.

In puppies, infection with Toxocara canis usually occurs by transfer into the developing fetus through the placenta or while nursing.

The larvae can migrate through the liver, reach the lungs, and mature to egg-producing adults in the small intestine.

Many larvae will be carried by the bloodstream to other parts of the dog’s body and remain in the tissues for years in an inactive form.

The first indication of infection in young animals is lack of growth and loss of condition, with infected animals having a dull coat and appearing “potbellied.”

Worms may be vomited and are often passed in the feces, and in the early stages, migrating larvae may cause pneumonia, which can be associated with coughing.

Diarrhea with mucus may be evident, and infection in dogs and cats is diagnosed by detection of the roundworm eggs in feces using a microscope.

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Preventive programs for heartworm infection also control intestinal roundworm infections, and transmission of infection from mother to newborn can be greatly reduced by a program of antiparasitic drugs given during pregnancy and after the birth of a litter.

Treatment should be given 2 weeks after birth and repeated at 2- to 3-week intervals to 2 months of age, then monthly to 6 months of age, and nursing dogs should be treated on the same schedule as their pups.

The roundworm that affects dogs is Toxocara canis, and the roundworm eggs are very resistant to chemicals and weather and remain infective in the soil for years.

The eggs are found on the soil or grass, and as the dog walks by, the eggs are picked up on the animal’s fur during normal grooming.

After reaching the stomach, the eggs hatch, and the developing larvae continue to mature in the small intestines and become adults in about three to four weeks.

At this point, the mature worms are able to reproduce and shed more eggs, which pass out the intestines in the feces and become infective in about one week.

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Hookworms are thin, small worms that attach to your dog's intestinal wall, causing damage and blood loss. They're a common parasite that can be found in dogs.

One of the most creative ways hookworms infect dogs is through cockroaches - if your dog eats one, it's a free ride for the worms. They can also be ingested through contaminated soil, water, or milk from an infected mother.

Hookworm symptoms in dogs can include bloody diarrhea, weight loss, dull coat, anemia, pale gums, and weakness. If left untreated, these symptoms can lead to severe anemia and even death.

The eggs of hookworms are relatively susceptible to cold weather and can be destroyed after a hard freeze. This is good news for dog owners in colder climates!

Here are some common ways hookworms infect dogs:

In severe cases, hookworm infestations can be fatal, making regular veterinary check-ups crucial for dog owners.

Whipworms are intestinal parasites that live in your dog's large intestine, causing inflammation and a range of symptoms.

Whipworms are thin, thread-like worms that can lead to diarrhea, which may be bloody, and can be difficult to diagnose due to low egg production.

A severe whipworm infestation can result in anaemia, weight loss, and even death.

The eggs of whipworms can survive in the environment for up to five years, making it essential to clean up thoroughly after your dog's poop and prevent them from being housed in moist environments.

Typically, a dog becomes infected after ingesting eggs from the environment, which then hatch in the stomach and take about three months to mature to adults.

The adults of whipworms burrow into the small intestine and feed on blood and tissue, shedding eggs intermittently in the feces.

Using a monthly treatment like NexGard SPECTRA for Dogs can help control and prevent whipworm infestations in dogs.

Tapeworms are a common issue in dogs, and they can be transmitted in different ways depending on the species. Tapeworms establish themselves in the intestines and can be found in various types of hosts, including fleas, grazing animals, and raw offal.

One species of tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum, uses fleas as an intermediate host, so dogs tend to become infected by accidentally ingesting fleas. This is common when dogs have a flea infestation because they chew and bite at their skin since the fleas are so itchy, accidentally ingesting some fleas along the way.

There are several types of tapeworms that can infect dogs, including Taenia and Dipylidium species. These tapeworms are segmented worms found in the intestines of dogs and rarely cause serious disease.

Signs of tapeworm infection vary from a failure to digest and absorb food normally to colic and mild diarrhea. In rare cases, telescoping of the intestine (intussusception), emaciation, and seizures are seen.

To control tapeworms, both treatment and prevention are necessary. Even confined dogs can contract Dipylidium caninum because it can cycle through fleas, so flea control is the critical preventive step even for indoor dogs.

Here are some common types of tapeworms that can infect dogs:

Most people see the tapeworm egg packets as they pass out the rectum and crawl on the animal’s fur. These egg packets, referred to as proglottids, contain multiple eggs and appear about six to eight weeks after ingestion of an infective tapeworm egg.

Flukes are a type of parasite that can infect dogs, and they have a complex life cycle that involves multiple intermediate hosts.

Dogs can get infected by eating intermediate hosts, such as raw or improperly prepared salmon and similar fish, frogs, snakes, mice, certain snails, and fish.

Some species of flukes, like Nanophyetus salmincola, are found in the northwestern US and can cause intestinal inflammation if a dog is heavily infected.

Alaria species, found in North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan, can also cause bleeding in the lungs or inflammation of the intestines if a dog is heavily infected.

Heterobilharzia americana, found in the southeastern US, can cause lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea in dogs.

Liver flukes, such as Opisthorchis species, can cause long-term damage to a dog's liver and pancreas, potentially leading to cancer.

Here's a list of some flukes that infect dogs:

Heartworms are infamous for the risks they pose to dogs, and are transmitted by mosquitoes that migrate through the blood vessels to the heart and lungs.

Heartworm is most risky in places with warm weather all year, where mosquitoes thrive, such as in the Southern U.S.

Early in the infection, there are no symptoms, but in cases that go untreated and the numbers of worms multiply, dogs can develop signs including coughing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, collapse, and even death.

Blood tests are the main way to test for heartworm disease in dogs, with an in-house antigen SNAP test usually part of a routine annual check up.

A dog with heartworms may not show any signs of a parasite infection during a physical exam, but a vet may notice abnormal heart and lung sounds.

The diagnosis of heartworms is confirmed with additional tests after a positive result from the SNAP test, and it's possible to have a false negative if the eggs are not present in a single poop sample.

Gastrointestinal parasites are a common issue in dogs, and it's essential to understand the types and risks involved. Some of the most common gastrointestinal parasites in dogs include Strongyloides stercoralis, Roundworms (Toxicara canis and T. cati), and Hookworms (Ancylostoma braziliense).

People can contract these parasites from their dogs, especially if they have a weakened immune system. For example, Strongyloides stercoralis can cause severe disease in people, while Roundworms can lead to visceral larva migrans and ocular larva migrans.

Hookworms can penetrate and wander under the skin of people, causing cutaneous larva migrans. This is particularly concerning for people who work with dogs or have children who play with puppies.

Some gastrointestinal parasites, like Tapeworms (cestodes, Echinococcus and some Taenia species), can be contracted by humans through contact with infected dog feces. The risk of infection depends on where the intermediate stage of the parasite goes in the body.

Here's a breakdown of the types of gastrointestinal parasites that can infect humans:

It's essential to practice strict hygiene, especially around puppies and kittens, to minimize the risk of infection. Regular deworming of dogs and proper disposal of dog feces can also help prevent the spread of gastrointestinal parasites.