I made a simple one word mistake here and I apologize.....MOST pups are born with worms....it is safe to give a wormer even if they don't have it, it won't hurt them, so if you ASSUME all dogs are born with worms then the chance of worms existing among your animals will be greatly reduced!.... The infestation can occur in the womb as well as enviromental influences, this along with other puppy diseases are important factors for getting your puppy to the vet as soon as you can after you become the owner.
Roundworm and Tapeworm prevention brought to you by Doolittle's Pet Store...
Tapeworms
The most common type of tapeworm in this country is Dipylidium caninum, a flat white worm with many segments.
Tapeworms can grow up to 50cm ( 20 inches ) in length, although you will only see the individual segments as they are shed from your dogs anus. As these segments dry out they release eggs, which are then eaten by immature fleas or lice. Once inside the insect, the eggs develop into worms. Re-infestation occurs through normal grooming when your dog or cat ingests an infested flea and the tapeworm then grows in the dog or cats intestine, completing the tapeworms life cycle. Dogs often eat worm eggs from the enviroment- The roundworm pictured here, is commonly picked up this way.
Roundworms
Toxocara canis is the most common UK roundworm and is one that has several routes of access to your dog or cat. It is safe to assume that all puppies and kittens are born with roundworms 'on-board', as during pregnancy, hormone activity activates dormant worms and larvae which then pass to the unborn puppies or kittens. Inside an infested dog or cat, the adult roundworm can lay several thousand eggs a day. These pass out in the animals faeces. The roundworm eggs do not hatch immediately, after a few weeks they can continue their development, often hatching inside a dog or cat that has picked up and swallowed them. From the intestine the immature worms will find their way into the blood stream. From there they can migrate to the liver and lungs, where they can be coughed up and swallowed again, or into tissues such as muscles, where the worms become dormant.
Symptoms
More often than not, tapeworm infestations go unnoticed by owners, but you should look out for worms eggs around your pets rear end, appearing like rice grains that may wriggle. Your dog may rub or scrap it's bottom on the floor because of the irritation, although this could also be a sign of anal gland problems. Serious infestations may result in diarrhoea and malaise. Roundworm infestations can equally go unnoticed. Bad infestations are unfortunately not rare and are characterised by some of the following: a pot-bellied appearance, coughing and noisy breathing, dead or dying worms in the faeces.
What should I do?
Always assume your dog or cat has worms. Treat him or her regularly with a worming preparation available at DOOLITTLE'S. Different types of products are available, so you can choose whichever product you find the easiest to administer. Some pets love the taste of yeast-flavoured tablets and will eat the entire box if given the chance - make sure that you store them safely. Other dogs and cats spit tablets out faster than you can stop them, for those pets, granules or powders sprinkled on their food, or liquid preparations may be best.
WARNING: Worms can also reside in humans, it is doubly important that you worm your pet regularly. ... View related article.
