Due to their curiosity and tendency to smell and lick everything they come into contact with, dogs are a very convenient hosts for worms and other parasites. As infestations will severely impact your dog’s health, you want to seek treatment regularly to avoid bad symptoms.
Because dogs (and especially puppies) are prone to worms, it is essential to learn how to deworm if worming happens to your dog. Several kinds of worms can get into your pet’s system, and some more dangerous than others.
Worming can even transfer from dogs to humans. Learn how to deworm your pet today to protect your dog and family’s future.
Signs Your Pet May Have Worms
Your pet may have worms and need to be treated if they display one or more of the following:
- Diarrhea
- Bloody stool
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- A distended abdomen
- Biting under the tail
- Anemia
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
Sometimes worming symptoms only arise when the parasite’s presence is quite high, so it is best to check for worms regularly just in case.
The Most Common Worms to Watch Out For
Some of the worms that puppies and adult dogs get include:
- Roundworms – as the name states, these are round-shaped and are prevalent in pups.
- Whipworms – a thread-like pest that targets the large intestine and sucks blood. These cause anemia and can be tough to detect and treat.
- Tapeworms – a segmented parasite caused by the ingesting of fleas and even vermin.
- Coccidia – typically found in young pups.
- Hookworms – thin and small, these attach themselves to the intestinal lining, sucking blood. It can make pups extremely anemic or even cause death.
- Heartworms are dangerous pests carried by mosquitoes and take up in the lungs, heart, and blood vessels. Blood work, X-rays, and in-office treatment is required to eradicate them.
The right treatment will be necessary to target these specific pests.
How to Deworm Your Dog
Take Your Pup to the Vet
You should always talk to your veterinarian or take your dog in for a consultation before you embark on a program. The vet will do an overall health check, but also take a stool sample.
The vet’s stool analysis checks if there are any pests in your pet’s intestines. The sample will be examined under the microscope.
Typically, a pest check should happen annually for adult dogs, and up to four times a year for young animals. Medicating for pests should happen as per your vet’s guidance.
After doing the stool sample analysis, your vet will see if there are any pests in the dog’s system. The vet can recommend or prescribe the right medication or course of action once this is established.
