Understanding Intestinal Worms in Dogs

Dogs can get worms in several ways, such as daily activities and environmental exposure. Knowing the source of worms will ease the preventive process.

1. Sniffing or Eating Contaminated Feces

Dogs smell around instinctively and sniff at everything, even excreta, and sometimes they inadvertently swallow the feces of eggs or larvae of worms. 

Unsanitary conditions, or when several dogs are kept together, enhance the problem greatly as the worms find it easy to pass from one host to another. Keeping the surroundings of your dog as clean as possible will minimize this mode of transmission.

2. Transmitted from Mother To Puppy

Translocation from an infected mother to the puppies can be either in utero or through lactation. Thus, even newly born puppies have a potential for an infection right from birth.

Deworming of the mother before birth can reduce the risk and early veterinary assistance may rescue the puppies from the infection. Regular checkups quite significantly assure healthy growth in puppies.

3. Ingestion Of Infected Animals

Dogs with high hunting or scavenging predisposition are, therefore, at a high risk of infection through direct contact with the carrier animals. For instance, most wildlife animals are carriers of many types of worms, rodents for example.

This infection is due to worms or larvae, which mostly happens when a dog is either playing or eating the infected animal.

These incidences can be reduced by closely monitoring a dog and making necessary precautionary measures that prevent them from getting loose.

4. Fleas Infestations Brought

Still, they are not just itchy nuisances, they are also vectors of tapeworms among dogs. Accidental swallowing of an infected flea while grooming may infect him with a tapeworm.

Maintaining regular flea control will prevent both the flea's infestation as well as the worm infection. Controlling fleas means keeping away the tapeworms and saving your dog's health.

5. Skin Penetration

When the dog is taken out to walk over contaminated soil, the parasite accesses the dog's skin from the feet. This is very common where the dogs go out to play in damp, worm-infested areas.

Being careful and not letting your dog stay long in places where hookworms abound is one sure way of keeping your dog from this mode of transmission.

 Regular checking of their feet and skin after each outdoor activity helps in the early detection of possible infections.

Several types of worms infect dogs with different symptoms and health risks. Recognition of the parasite is an important clue in protecting your pet's health and attempting to prevent serious complications.

1. Hookworms

Hookworm infections in dogs attach themselves to the lining of your dog's intestine and suck its blood, which results in severe anemia. Probably the most dangerous infection of the hookworm is found in the puppies, which makes them very weak and lethargic.

The main symptoms that can be associated with hookworms are the passing of dark-colored feces along with weight loss, although most of the infection may remain asymptomatic for a very long period. Testing of the feces can help in early-stage diagnosis that can save the animals from major health issues.

2. Roundworms

These are the most prevalent forms of spaghetti-shaped long worms found in puppies. These may be inches long sometimes as well and have been spotted once or incidentally in the vomit or within the feces.

This roundworm infection might lead to a swollen belly, vomiting as well, and diarrhea, particularly in puppies. If not, this infection will leave the sufferer weighing less with reduced general health.

3. Whipworms

They are blood-sucking worms residing in a dog's large intestine. The worm infects the dogs to succumb to bloody diarrhea, weight loss as well as dehydration.

The difficulty of the worms is that they may survive in the environment for several years. Hence, the control of the worms is hard.

4. Tapeworms

The flat, segmented tapeworms are tiny and live inside the dog's intestine, and they pass through rice-like segments near your dog's anus or on his stool.

Fortunately, most tapeworm infections are pretty mild since in most cases, they irritate and itch around the anus. Since the major carrier for tapeworm larvae includes fleas, the control of the flea must be included in the prevention of tapeworm infection.

Symptoms identification is quite crucial in the treatment of worm infection in dogs and thus allows for dispensation of prompt treatment. Each symptom can further describe different stages or types of worm infections that call for attention.

Diarrhea

The most frequent manifestations brought about by the infection of intestinal worms are diarrhea in dogs. Bloody fecal matter follows it whenever the infestation is severe. This irritates the presence of worms within the intestines lining hence the frequent watery stools that result.

Diarrhea in your pet is dangerous. Severe or lasting diarrhea can result in dehydration in your dog. Therefore, you visit a veterinarian when this symptom appears.

Weight Loss

These parasitic worms can cause weight loss in your dog even when the appetite of your dog is unaffected or increased. All the nutrition needed by your pet lies in the worm infecting your pet. Thus, it keeps your dog devoid of his actual nutrition.

As time progresses, weight loss can affect your dog's general physiology and energy levels. This no doubt needs immediate treatment.

Visible Worms and Segments In Feces

The worm or its parts may often be observed within your dog's feces. In an active infection, rice-like segments often come out around your dog's anus from the main appearance of the tapeworm.

Where the presence of the worm in your dog's excrement would be all that might set you off to the veterinarian for proper medication against the parasite.

Vomiting

Other symptoms of the heavy worm infection could be vomiting, possibly with live worms. This, however, is more than likely to only occur when some swallowed worms have irritated the tract enough to cause bouts of vomiting.

Sometimes, there are indeed roundworms in vomit, and finding these may well be another sure sign your dog needs deworming.

Abdominal Distention

Especially for a wormy puppy, say for instance one invested in roundworms, there is swelling due to space consumed by the worms in the intestines and the stomach where there is felt discomfort.

A distended belly combined with other signs calls for immediate veterinary attention to avert further complications.

Lethargy

These infections leave your dog lethargic, depressed, and unenthusiastic. The worms starve the body of vital nutrients, hence leaving the dog without vigor.

Depression of energy or reduced activity may also manifest itself when the overall health of your dog deteriorates due to the worm infection.

Anemia

These worms-especially the hookworms attach to your dog's intestines and suck its blood, causing a severe hemorrhage of the red blood cells. Common symptoms of anemia include pale gums, weakness, and lethargy.

Severe anemia in dogs may be deadly, especially to puppies, and as such an onset of these signs, therefore, calls for immediate treatment.

It is essential to prevent worm infections rather than to treat them and for which you as a pet owner need to do the following things.

1. Deworm on Schedule

Regular deworming will keep your dog fit and warm-free. The little puppies should be dewormed more often whereas the older ones on scheduled to be decided by a veterinarian.

Preventive deworming prevents your pet from being exposed to severe infection. A prescribed deworming plan from a veterinarian will prevent your dog from the invasion of various types of worms.

2. Flea Control

Due to their being some of the most common tapeworm causes, controlling fleas is a basis for preventing the worm infection. The frequent application of flea medicines will prevent both fleas and tapeworms.

Flea control is also taken out into your dog's environment. Their bedding and living areas need frequent cleaning to diminish the chances of picking up fleas.

3. Pick Up After Your Dog Faces

Picking up your dog's feces minimizes the immediate risk of a worm infection, as this doesn't let the soil get contaminated with the eggs from the worms. 

This will keep the place clean from dirt to the public, hence avoiding the risk of your dog infecting themselves with worms due to contact. This is the easiest measure in the worm infection prevention process.

4. Avoid Raw Meat

Another route possibly taken by larvae into your dog's body involves raw or undercooked meat. Most of these risks, if not all, would be null and void if one stuck to cooked and commercially prepared food.

This way, it would be less possible for your dog to develop any kind of worm in their diet once you feed them with an unsafe and unhealthy diet. One of the big possibilities of having a healthy pet is prevention through proper nutrition.

5. Regular Visits To Veterinarians

First and foremost, all worm infections require diagnosis by a veterinarian through periodic check-ups and fecal tests. Your veterinarian will be in a better position to recommend deworming treatment and observe your dog's general health.

Regular check-ups mean that most problems are diagnosed well before they become serious. It is one of the cornerstones of good pet health.

6. Cleanse Your Dog's Environment

Cleaning up after your dog will also play a very important role in preventing the spread of the worm eggs. Regular disinfection of his bed, toys, and food bowls reduces the risk of contamination.

A clean environment will prevent larvae from building up in places where your dog regularly frequents. This will easily reduce the chances of infection by a lot.

7. Prevent Scavenging

This could be during times when infected prey or contaminated materials are being ingested by foraging dogs. Try to have your dog on a leash when going on walks, if possible, and as close to you so that they would not forage.

If you don't allow your pet to scavenge garbage/unsafe food, then the possibility of worm infection gets reduced. This is quite necessary when one stays near any wild-life-infested area or area full of stray animals.

8. Avoid Contact with Stray Animals

These may carry worms and other parasites which would present your pet with a better chance to acquire them. Keep your dog as far away as it can get from strays or any other dogs you are not too familiar with.

Also, keeping the dog away from unfamiliar animals reduces acquiring worms. This is just an added measure for the health and safety of your dog.

Even though this may help in proper diagnosis and, subsequently treatment by a veterinarian, the following are some home remedies that may help in the management or prevention of such worm infections.

This will be organic, hence complementing your dog's health routine.

Pumpkin Seeds

The amino acid cucurbitacin contained in pumpkin seeds operates like a natural dewormer, thus, it would paralyze the worms. In that way, their elimination from the body shall be quite easy. 

You can grind pumpkin seeds and mix them raw into his food. It is very effective if given continuously as about one teaspoonful per 10 pounds of body weight.

Carrots

They are rich in vitamins and fiber that facilitate digestion and would also help in building active elimination of worms in the intestines. Finely grated carrots added to your dog's meal can cleanse the intestines of worms.

The coarse texture scrapes off the mucus in the lining of the stomach and this also rips off the worms attached there.

Coconut Oil

Anti-parasitic coconut oil in natural coconut oil for dogs is for a reason that it helps in removing worms and improves the immunity of your dog. Add one teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight to their food because it possesses anti-infection properties which aid in fighting infection from worms.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can create an alkaline reaction in the intestines that worms find hard to survive in. Adding a teaspoon of ACV to your dog's water bowl will simply serve as a natural repellent against worms.

It constantly enhances immunity, hence providing better general health for the gut, which in turn provides resistance against infection shortly after.

Turmeric

Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant in nature and it will help pacify the intestinal inflammation caused by worms. Mix a pinch of turmeric powder in food taken to combat infection; its healing properties will help facilitate gastrointestinal health and help remove the parasites from the body.

Papaya

Papaya contains digestive enzymes like papain that kill intestinal worms quite effectively. Feeding small pieces of ripe papaya or adding seeds to your dog's diet will enable your dog to pass away sans worms. This tropical fruit, apart from taking away worms, will endow goodness for digestion along with good overall health.

Garlic In Moderation

Although garlic is antiparasitic, the amount must be minimal because the excess amount of garlic is poisonous to the dogs. Just a minimal amount would be enough to kill the worms present in the dogs. 

You'll need your veterinarian's advice before adding this to your dog's diet. This crushed garlic may be mixed in his food once a day for one week but very cautiously and in a lesser amount.

The following home remedies are right after consulting a veterinarian when your dog is going through some health problems or on some medications. 

The following can contribute to the health of your dog but never replace professional treatment.