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When you get a puppy, one of the first things that you need to
do is make an appointment with the vet to get your new family
member his or her vaccinations. Along with any recommended shots,
your cuddly canine will probably get a dose of a de-worming formula
to rid them of any internal parasites.
Hookworms
Some parasites can be very dangerous to your dog, especially to
puppies. For instance, a hookworm (about 1/8" in length) will
adhere itself to the small intestine and begin to suck the blood
from your pet. It can cause severe anemia, followed by circulatory
collapse, severe diarrhea, hemorrhaging, shock and finally
death.
Puppies may receive hookworms through the mother's placenta during
the gestation period or through the mother's milk when nursing.
This is why it is very important that new puppies receive a
de-worming formula.
These parasites can also enter an adult dog quite easily when your
pet walks over soil that contains any contaminated feces from other
animals. In turn, your dog then licks his or her paws and ingests
the hookworm larvae. Even without the paw licking the larvae can
burrow through the skin and into the dog. Once inside, the larvae
migrate to the small intestine where they grow into adult
hookworms, usually within 14 days.
A female hookworm will begin to lay eggs... 20,000 of them per day!
As you can see, it is vitally important to have your favorite
canine de-wormed should they become infested with hookworms. If you
see symptoms such as diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or weight loss,
take your canine to the veterinarian immediately for diagnosis and
treatment. Diagnosis is usually made through a small stool sample.
Treatment consists of an oral or injected medication which kills
the adult hookworms, but not the larvae. This treatment needs to be
repeated again in 2 to 4 weeks to kill the larvae that have emerged
as adults. In cases of severe anemia, your dog may require a blood
transfusion.
Roundworms
Roundworms are another common parasite most often found in puppies.
The worms are usually heavy-bodied and grow to about 6" in
length.
Infection usually occurs as larvae that have lain dormant in an
adult female dog are reactivated when the female dog becomes
pregnant. The larvae begin to migrate through the placenta to the
liver of the fetus. They also will migrate to the mammary glands of
the mother, so that the puppies can also become infected while
nursing.
The time from roundworm larvae infection to the adult stage is
about 27 days. Most roundworms live about 4 months in the puppy and
are usually expelled by the natural immune system of the puppy
before 6 months of age.
So, if puppies naturally expel these parasites, how do adult dogs
end up with them? The adult dog ingests them by eating some food
supply that contain the larvae.
Tapeworms
Another very common worm is the tapeworm. This worm lives in the
intestines of both dogs and cats. The worm is transmitted by fleas.
When a dog or cat has fleas, they will naturally ingest the
tapeworm while grooming. The tapeworm then makes its way to the
intestine.
There are usually no noticeable symptoms for the most part,
although sometimes your dog may show some stomach upsets, diarrhea
or just seems somewhat lethargic. You can often tell if your pet
has tapeworms by finding small, whitish worm segments that look
like small grains of rice under the tail of your pet or on its
bedding. Also, you dog may begin "scooting" their rear end along
the floor because of irritation. It takes approximately three weeks
from the time your dog ingests the flea until you begin to see
tapeworm segments.
Although not generally harmful to an animals health, tapeworms are
certainly something you'll want to rid your dog of. One of the
first treatments for tapeworms is to begin a program of flea
control treatment program for your pet and the immediate
environment of your house and yard.
