Horrible Sights Worms in Dogs Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Worms in dogs are far from uncommon, according to statistics, about 70% of animals have invasive diseases caused by the presence of helminths, and in some cases, they are practically asymptomatic, which makes it difficult to make a correct diagnosis.

Most dog owners are sure that their pets are not threatened with this type of disease and this is fully justified if the owner periodically carries out preventive measures. It’s another thing if the owner of the dog is not going to do anything to prevent it, but he continues to hope that his pet’s worms will “pass by” – in this case, it is more likely that the parasites can already be in the animal’s body.

Worms in dogs are not uncommon, according to statistics, about 70% of animals have invasive diseases caused by the presence of worms.

Worms in dogs often cause irreparable harm to the animal. They can live in almost any organ of the pet and become the cause of the death of the dog. Worms pierce the vessels of an organ inhabited by them, thereby infecting it, after which they begin to release the products of their vital activity into the blood of an animal, absorbing the nutrients that enter the body of the dog along with the food.

However, it should be noted that the effect of worms on the body of dogs depends entirely on the health of the animal. A pet with good immunity in the presence of parasites can look like a completely healthy dog, therefore, at the slightest suspicion of helminthiasis, laboratory tests should be taken that confirm fears, or vice versa, relieve unfounded suspicions.

The symptoms of worms in dogs

Some types of worms can be dangerous for people, so knowing what symptoms indicate the presence of this disease in a dog is a must.

Typical signs of worms in dogs are as follows:

• bowel disorder – constipation alternating with diarrhea;
• the presence of systematic hiccups after eating;
• weight loss;
• the appearance of blood with mucus in the feces;
• deterioration in the appearance of the animal;
• lethargy and loss of appetite, in some cases, the appetite may, on the contrary, greatly increase;
• rumbling in the stomach;
• the appearance of skin diseases caused by worms;
• attempts of the animal to “ride” in the back seat on the floor;
• desire to eat inedible items.

In addition, the symptoms of infection can be quite obvious, such as the presence of worms in the feces and anus or vomiting, provided that the dog has been vomited by parasites, which is not uncommon.

Puppies signs of worms can manifest in rickets and developmental delays.

Types of Worms in Dogs

Depending on the habitat of the animal and signs of the appearance of worms in dogs, it is common to subdivide into several species.

Ascariasis

This type of parasite most often lives in the intestines of a dog. The length of the adult Ascaris – roundworm can reach 20 centimeters. Infection can occur through food — by ingesting stale meat or even through mother’s milk

The length of an adult ascaris – roundworm can reach 20 centimeters.

Ascaris disease has the following symptoms:

• weight loss;
• the occurrence of bronchitis, with all associated symptoms – cough, shortness of breath and wheezing;
• diarrhea or constipation;
• the presence of blood with worms and mucus in the feces;
• bloating;
• hiccups;
• low body temperature;
• sweet smell from the mouth;
• intestinal obstruction.

If the puppy vomited after feeding with mother’s milk, this may indicate the presence of worms in an adult dog. In this case, it is necessary to begin treatment with a dog – mother.

Often infection with this type of helminths leads to intestinal obstruction, which later becomes the cause of death.

Treatment for ascarids should take place exclusively under the supervision of a veterinarian – they are difficult to remove independently, moreover, they multiply very quickly, therefore it is necessary to destroy not only active, adult parasites, but also their larvae.

Such drugs as tetrachlorethylene and nitrobutyl chloride are considered to be excellent means against ascarids in dogs, however it is very important to strictly follow the instructions and the correct dosage, since the use of these drugs depends on the size of the animal.

It is worth noting that the intake of these drugs can cause side effects – dizziness, vomiting and even loss of consciousness, so before you begin treatment, you must carefully read the instructions and consult with a veterinarian. Dead parasites can be removed with the help of ordinary laxatives – they go along with the animal feces.

Esophageal worms In Dogs

Habitat esophagus worms is the esophagus of the animal, so the main symptoms of this disease will be associated with this section of the digestive tract. The size of the worms of this species is much less than the Ascaris, their length does not exceed 10 centimeters. Most often, infection occurs after eating a small animal or insect – such as a dung beetle with invasive disease. These worms are dangerous because they can strangle the dog and contribute to the rupture of the aorta, resulting in the death of the animal, so the first suspicious symptoms should immediately begin to treat your pet.

These worms are dangerous in that they can strangle a dog and contribute to aortic rupture.

Symptoms of esophageal worms:

• difficulty swallowing;
• severe weight loss;
• cough;
• vomiting, sometimes with worms.

Treatment for esophageal worms consists of taking a half-percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. It is important that the treatment takes place on an empty stomach – as a result of this method of treatment, vomiting occurs, from which the worms leave the body of the animal.

Dipilidiosis

Dipilidioses or tapeworms occur in dogs quite often and can live in any organ of the animal. Tapeworms can reach considerable size, on average, the length of an adult individual is 30 centimeters. These types of worms in large quantities are kept on the bodies of fleas and lice, in addition, they can parasitize on some species of small mammals, for example, in rabbits. In the dog’s body, tapeworms get along with fleas and lice, therefore, in order to rid the animal of worms, you must first remove those parasites that have become a source of infection.

The following symptoms will help determine the presence of tapeworms:

• intestinal obstruction caused by worms;
• bleeding;
• weight loss;
• upset stool;
• severe drooling;
• itching in the anus, causing the animal to “fidget” on the floor.

Usually the treatment for this type of worms is to take anthelmintic drugs, which you should definitely give on an empty stomach. As a rule, tape pests completely leave the body after taking arecoline hydrobromide – this medicine has repeatedly proved its effectiveness in combating this type of worms. In order to avoid relapse, in no case should the dog be fed raw meat and fish, in addition to this, the animal should be regularly treated for lice and fleas.

Heart worms In Dogs

Heartworms, as the name suggests, hit the animal’s heart – and are usually located in its right side. In length, cardiac worms can reach 35 centimeters. Like previous types of worms, these parasites enter the body of the animal along with fleas and lice. However, it is worth noting that they do not immediately reach the heart of the animal – from the infection period, it may take about 2-3 months. Most often, heartworms occur in older dogs, but this does not mean that these parasites cannot occur in a puppy.

Heart worms, as the name suggests, strike the heart of an animal.

The presence of heart worms can be determined by the following symptoms:

• convulsions;
• increased fatigue after exercise;
• swelling of the legs, abdomen and other parts of the body;
• the presence of “nervous” symptoms;
• loss of consciousness;
• increased photosensitivity.

In addition, there may be problems with the lungs – the worms affect the heart in such a way that the blood stops flowing to the lungs, which can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and even suffocation.

The animal can be rid of worms that live in the heart with intramuscular injections of a drug called Faudin, but it is worth noting that the doctor should treat the animal, and the sooner the treatment begins, the higher the probability of recovery.

It is important to remember that the treatment of adult dogs and puppies can be very different both in dosage and in the preparations themselves. For example, to rid a puppy of worms, such medicines as Prazitel, Dirofen or Prazitsid will do. Adult dogs with these drugs to treat worms will be absolutely meaningless. Adult animals will help Dronzit, Vermox, or Gelmintal.

Worm Prevention

Prevention of worms in dogs is periodic deworming, and preferably from an early age, starting from the third week of life. For reliable protection of puppies from parasites, this procedure should be carried out at least once a month. An adult dog can be treated once every three months.

Feed and water must be given to the animal in clean dishes. 
To save the future offspring of dogs from worms, before viscous, it is imperative to carry out a deworming procedure.

For the purposes of prophylaxis, the communication of dogs with yard animals should be limited, most of which are carriers of worms with a 90% probability.

In addition, it is necessary to carry out periodic antiparasitic treatment of fleas and lice, thus, it will be possible to save the animal from two problems at once – worms and other small pests. In this case, it is advisable to buy anthelmintic drugs in specialized veterinary pharmacies and always after consultation with the doctor. This should be done in order to avoid the purchase of poor-quality goods, as well as medicines that may not be suitable for your animal.