Worms That Can Threaten Your Dog's Health

The dog is a very active and a curious animal. This often digs around trash and comes into contact with other animals. Though this may seem fun, people do not notice that this can lead to problems in the health of the pet.

Worms are considered to be internal parasites. Some people will notice this immediately when the dog excretes this in the stool. However, this isn't always the case. There are some that can only be seen using a microscope once a blood sample has been taken.

Once these parasites have entered the dog's digestive system, the chances of survival are very slim. The only thing the owner can do is offer liquids and some medicine which will hopefully strengthen the pet's immune system and hopefully kill the worms.

Worms have been classified into 5 types.

The first is called the hookworm. The dog can get this by walking in the garden and once these are on the foot of the pet, these will slowly move inside and multiply causing much havoc in the digestive system.

These usually grow from 12 to 15 and suck on the blood. The dog can die even before this come out in the feces which is why puppies during this stage in life should be regularly brought to the vet.

The person should be aware that this isn't only contagious to dogs but to humans as well.

The second is called a tapeworm. People will not mistake seeing this since this type of worms is long and usually live in the intestine of the animal. These can also be found in the anus and comes with fleas that suck on the blood of the animal. This can be killed using prescribed medication since ordinary vaccination does not work.

The third type is called the roundworm. These look like spaghetti noodles when it comes out of the feces of the dog. Though some may come out, there are still some inside and can multiply some more if proper treatment isn't administered. The only way to fight this is also using prescribed medication.

The fourth type is called a whipworm. The parasite is called this way because these appear to be a combination of both the tape and the round worm. These are usually found in the colon area and have an incubation of three months before coming out.

The fifth type is the heartworm. These usually stay near the heart and only a blood sample can reveal its existence. It is better to prevent this from happening since most pups that are infected die from this disease.

The best protection against these parasites will be to bring the dog to the vet and having vaccinations done. The person can also try getting some disinfecting pills. These can be purchased without a medical prescription and should be used using the proper dosage.

At home, the person can start by making sure the dog house or bedding is clean at all times. The pet should also be given a bath once a week and tied to a leash to prevent this animal from digging in the yard or eating from the trash since this is where germs and other contaminants grow.

When a dog is struck by worms, the immune system may either fight or give up. A lot of dogs will die while those that do survive will have some side effects that will affect the dog health for the remainder of its life.