How Do You Recognize Each Type Of Dog Worm?

Worms are an internal parasite that in most cases live inside the intestine of a dog. Dogs also can be infested with ringworm, though despite common understanding this is actually caused by a type of fungus and not a parasitic worm. The most common types of worms in dogs are roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm and heartworm. Here is how you identify each type of worm:

Roundworm - This type of worm is generally found in young puppies and is most commonly passed onto them by their mother, either before or after birth. Signs that a puppy is infected with them include an enlarged belly, slow weight gain and diarrhea. In cases where the puppy is infested in high amounts they may vomit them or pass them whole in their feces - where you'll find them resembling long pieces of spaghetti.

Hookworm - This type of worm is more common in unsanitary environments, and is different from other parasitic worms in that it doesn't feed from the dog's food but rather from their blood instead. A young dog may even experience severe anemia due to blood loss and possibly die. One of the easiest signs of this worm to spot is that your dog's feces will be noticeably black in color due to the lack of blood. Other symptoms include pale gums, and uncharacteristic weakness or thinness.

Tapeworm - This type of worm is usually picked up later on in a dog's life when they go out hunting, but occasionally they can become infected by accidentally swallowing a flea. It grows in the small intestine where its head stays attached as other segments gradually break off in the dog's feces to spread the young worms. There will usually be visible signs of this worm in the dog's feces or even stuck to their rear end where they appear as small, dried out pieces of rice.

Whipworm - This type of worm is one of the more common, yet quite often it remains completely dormant while inside the dog and there are no real symptoms. Usually this type of worm is picked up in the soil, where they can survive for several years. In more severe cases of infestation, however, a dog might experience chronic weight loss and diarrhea.

Heartworm - This is recognized as the most dangerous of all worms found in dogs as it lives inside the dog's heart, and in more severe cases of infestation it may result in heart failure. It is passed on to your dog by mosquitos, which transmit the young worms from one dog to another via the bloodstream where they eventually travel to the heart. It takes a large number of worms to make a dog sick, and just a few will usually remain harmless for many months. A small percentage of dogs with these worms become seriously sick, but when they do they almost certainly need to be hospitalized. Some of the common signs of a severe infestation include coughing, difficulty breathing or even fainting.

For more information on worms in dogs visit HeartMyDog.com or visit this helpful video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awcypNHCg7A