The Top 10 Facts You Should Know About Dog Worms

Worms in dogs are a type of parasite that mostly live in the intestine of a dog. They are mostly harmless, but some types of worms such as heartworm and hookworm can be deadly. Understanding how to protect your dog from worms can help you in that you and your dog will not have to be worried about any serious health risk they might pose. The main thing that you want to watch out for is being able to recognize worms and if necessary treat them in the correct way. Below are the top 10 facts you need to know about keeping your dog safe from worms.

1. There are a few types of worms dogs become infested with - whipworm, roundworm, tapeworm, hookworm and heartworm. Most of these aren't that dangerous, but hookworm and heartworm can be. Heartworm is primarily dangerous because it lives inside the heart of a dog and can cause heart failure.

2. Roundworm is the worm that most puppies get passed onto them from their mother. These are quite harmless, but definitely a good idea to get rid of. They can make your puppy hungry, or enlarge their belly. Sometimes they might also vomit them if infested with high amounts.

3. Hookworm is dangerous because unlike most worms that feed on a dog's food, they feed on a dog's blood. This can cause anemia and potentially result in death. A dog that has these worms will be noticeably weaker and their feces will be black.

4. Dogs can become infected with tapeworm if they go out hunting or swallow a flea. If a dog has these they will most likely be hungry more than usual. You might also see bits of the worm stuck to the dog's rear end as they pass them with their feces.

5. Whipworm is probably the most common worm dogs come across, though since it mostly remains dormant there are no noticeable signs that a dog has it. In larger amounts it might cause diarrhea and weight loss.

6. Heartworm is passed onto a dog through mosquitoes and it's necessary to give your dog a monthly heartworm preventative to keep them safe. Just a few worms rarely make a dog sick, but with a lot they will need to be hospitalized.

7. Recognizing if your dog has worms is important just in case you need to treat them. Often you can visually see them in feces or vomit as your dog's body tries to pass them naturally. You should also watch for other signs such as weight loss, diarrhea, increased appetite or a lack of energy.

8. One of the other signs a dog might have worms is if you see them rubbing their rear end along the floor. This is in an effort to remove the irritation, but it can actually be a symptom of other conditions as well.

9. Dogs are often immune for life once they get over them as a puppy. With a healthy diet they usually don't need to worry about them. If your dog ever does have worms, then a chemical dewormer from your vet is all that's required to treat them.

10. There are a few other steps you can take to prevent your dog getting worms. This includes preventing your dog contacting stray dogs or wildlife as well as eating feces or animal remains. You should also keep your dog treated for fleas as these can sometimes pass on worms.

If you want to learn more about treatment for worms in dogs and other related topics take a look at this page.