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Causes and Treatments for
Worms in Dogs
As a dog owner, it's important you learn about different causes of worms in dogs. You also need to know what the symptoms of dog worms are and how to get rid of these internal parasites.
There is a lot of misinformation about dog worms.
What you will find here is information that I hope will dispel some of the myths. But if you suspect your puppy or an adult dog has worms, talk to your veterinarian.
Let's begin…
Causes of Worms in Dogs
Virtually all puppies are born with worms. Even if your puppy was born
worm-free, he can still get infected quite easily.
How?
- Mosquitoes often transmit Heartworms from dog to dog
- If you feed your dog an uncooked meat or fish, he can easily consume several varieties of intestinal worms
- Worm eggs can survive for up to 5 or 7 years on the ground. Even a single sniff in the wrong spot can cause an infection
- Finally, have you ever seen a dog eating feces? Aside from being disgusting to watch, this activity, especially if feces is from an infected dog, will almost always result in an infection.
What Are the Symptoms?
Dog worms are responsible for so many health issues and exhibit so many symptoms that it's impossible to list them all. What I will try to do is to list the most common symptoms of worms in puppies.
The most common and easily observed symptom is a mouth odor, sometimes referred to as "puppy breath". This odor is a good indication of intestinal worms (another cause can be dental problems. Visit dog teeth cleaning for more information).
Here are some other symptoms of worms in dogs…
- Diarrhea
- Anemia
- Good appetite but the weight is going down
- Poor appetite
- Your dog sits and rubs his rear end along the ground
- White segments in dog feces (these could be segments of a tape worm)
If you recognize any of these symptoms in your dog, talk to your veterinarian. He or she will prescribe a deworming treatment for your puppy.
After the initial treatment, you can keep your puppy worm-free with some medications that you can easily administer at home (more about medications a little later).
Keeping your Puppy Free of Worms
When you bring your puppy for an initial visit, a veterinarian will perform a stool analysis and if needed, provide a deworming treatment. After an initial treatment, your vet may take more samples to see if an additional treatment is required.
For your part, follow these tips to keep your dog worm-free:
- Don't feed your dog raw meats or fish (some dogs do love fish!)
- Keep your yard clean of dog feces (some dogs like to eat feces, which may contain worm eggs)
- When you take him for a walk, watch what he is sniffing
- Keep your dog's crate and sleeping area clean
I also recommend (and personally used on my dog) Interceptor tabs.
Interceptor is available by prescription as chewable Flavor Tabs.
While I used them to treat my dog from roundworms, these tablets are effective against most common worms in dogs. You can use them to…
- Prevent heartworm disease
- Control adult hookworm infection
- Remove and control adult roundworms and whipworms
You can buy Interceptor from your vet or, to save money, buy it on-line.
Because most of the human and pet medications sold over the Internet are counterfeit, make sure you buy from a reputable company. If you see a website selling a prescription medication without a prescription, run from them.
I buy all Bo's medications, shampoos, vitamins, supplements and even some toys from 1800PetMeds. They are a lot cheaper than my vet and I have a peace of mind that the medications I buy from them are not counterfeit and will not harm my dog.
Here is how it works… When I place an order, I provide them with my vet's contact information. They contact her, she confirms the prescription and the order is shipped. Easy.
Here are couple of medications you can buy without a prescription...
Worm Protector 2X Double Strength Liquid Wormer is an over the counter product used for removal of large roundworms and hookworms in dogs and puppies.
It may also be used to prevent reinfestion of roundworms in puppies and adult dogs.
It comes in liquid form and can be given directly to your pet or mixed with food.
HomeoPet Worm Clear is a homeopathic product. It's 100% natural and comes in liquid form.
The 2 advantages of liquid medications are that they act faster than pills and are easier to mix with water.
The last point is especially important because some dogs, no matter how hard you try, will not eat pills.
HomeoPet Worm Clear will remove Hookworms, Roundworms and Tapeworms.
Controlling worms in dogs is not complicated. It really isn't! As long as you take your dog for regular checkups and take precautions as I suggest here, your dog will be healthy and worm-free.
For more information on deworming medications you can administer at home, including those that don't require a prescription, and additional information on worms in dogs, visit puppy worms page.
I hope you will find this information useful and it helps you to recognize some common health problems your pet may be experiencing. However, if you suspect your pet is ill, immediately contact your veterinarian. He or she will be able to help you decide the best course of action when it comes to caring for your pet.
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