Worms in dogs and the potential health risk they pose not only to the pets but to people as well should always be at the forefront of responsible dog owners’ minds. Worms in dogs are internal parasites which can lead to ill health in dogs as well as humans.

Although worms in dogs do cause damage to their health, there are often no symptoms until the damage is already being done. Worms in dogs are undoubtedly hard to spot but look out for vomiting and diarrhoea as well as general loss of condition. The two types of worms in dogs are roundworms and tapeworms.

Roundworms

Roundworms can appear to be coiled in the shape of a spring, can grow to around 10cm in length and are pale white or beige coloured. They might be visible in your pet’s faeces or vomit. Roundworm larvae find their way into the dog’s body when they are ingested and adult worms then develop inside the dog’s body. Later, new eggs are passed through the dog in his faeces, restarting the chain again. The most common form of roundworm, Toxocare Canis, sadly affects the health of people, and notably children.If children ingest the eggs through contact with contaminated soil, the larvae can migrate through their bodies. Should the larvae reach the eyes, they have the potential to cause serious damage to the eyesight. This is just one of the reasons why it is so very important to clean up after your dog.

Tapeworms

Tapeworms look like flat segments filled with moving eggs which resemble grains of rice and which you may be able to see in your dog’s faeces or around his anus. Dogs become infected with tapeworms by swallowing fleas carrying their larvae whilst grooming. An adult worm inside the dog can be as long as 5 metres.

As with most conditions the old adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is true of worms in dogs. It is therefore important to ensure your dog is wormed every three months. Worming should be carried out even more regularly than that in young puppies. You can buy effective worming medication from both pet shops and the vet’s surgery: your vet will be able to advise you which is best.

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Filed under: Pets Advice

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